Dowling joins FMCSA after serving as senior director of safety at Covenant Logistics. During his tenure in the private sector, Covenant reported three consecutive years of record reductions in the carrier’s crash rates through a focus on safety performance and operational execution.

Before his work in fleet safety, Dowling had a long career with the California Highway Patrol, rising to Chief of the Valley Division. In that capacity, he commanded an 850-person force in the greater Sacramento region. He oversaw 20 commands, including a commercial vehicle enforcement facility, and served as incident commander during major emergencies, including the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California.

Industry leadership and new mandate

Dowling is already a familiar figure in commercial vehicle enforcement and industry advocacy circles. He previously served as president of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and chair of American Trucking Associations’ Law Enforcement Advisory Board (LEAB).

In his new role as chief safety officer, Dowling will direct the FMCSA’s national safety programs and initiatives. His primary mandate is working alongside federal, state, and industry partners to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses while ensuring the efficient movement of freight throughout the U.S.

“My focuses are on evaluating processes and looking for consistency,” Dowling said in 2024 after his LEAB appointment. “That way, we can give our drivers the best experience, to prepare them to be successful, make money and enjoy their job, and do it the safest way because that’s how they can be most successful.

“Safety is really that foundational element of it all.”