I left National Tank Truck Carriers’ 2026 Annual Conference with a good feeling about the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new leader.

It helped that Derek Barrs, the first Senate-confirmed FMCSA administrator since Robin Hutcheson left in 2024, built his keynote address at NTTC’s North American Safety Awards luncheon around four-star Admiral William McRaven’s famous “make your bed” speech. McRaven first delivered his inspirational message about “doing the little things” in 2014 at my alma mater, The University of Texas, and I had the pleasure of hearing from the former UT chancellor in 2021 at the ILTA Operating Conference in Houston, so I enjoyed the reference.

I also appreciated Barrs’ message. He emphasized that achieving major safety goals requires a disciplined commitment to completing the “small tasks” and maintaining high operational standards. He highlighted the agency’s efforts under new DOT Secretary Sean Duffy to strengthen and enforce commercial vehicle regulations, such as improving driver training, reforming the ELD vetting system, and ousting illegitimate operators. He also stressed the importance of strong collaboration between regulators and industry leaders in reducing roadway fatalities. “Safety isn’t a concept,” Barrs said. “It must be a culture. At FMCSA, we must have a culture of safety. It’s in our mission and I know it’s in yours. You’re hauling the most sensitive materials in complex tank trailer equipment. And whatever you’re pulling, you are hauling materials that matter to the American economy. That means, from loading to transit to delivery, the margin of error is very thin. There’s no room for shortcuts on our roadways or in your businesses, so we must continue doing the small things.”

Then I got home and he “liked” one of my posts on LinkedIn.

That may seem like a small thing to you (and yeah, it could have been a staffer), but to me it’s evidence he’s sincere about increasing engagement—with carriers and the media charged with dispensing critical information. A seasoned editor told me FMCSA bosses used to engage media “actively and routinely.” Not in my eight years. Then, as I was writing this editorial, the agency’s communications director reached out to offer our group the opportunity to speak with Barrs and four other FMCSA officials about Motus, FMCSA’s revamped carrier registration system. I was shocked.

Now I’m all in on Barrs—and his team’s efforts to fight freight-related fraud.

Before his confirmation as the eighth FMCSA administrator last October—which NTTC supported—Barrs spent nearly 20 years with the Florida Highway Patrol, including three as the chief of commercial vehicle enforcement. So I believe him when he earnestly insists he’s committed to cracking down on HOS abuse, CDL mills, and “chameleon” carriers like the one he alluded to in Baltimore. Super Ego made 60 minutes in April, but I wrote about them two years ago, so I know the problem is persistent and prolific—and somebody needs to finally fix it.

That’s why these are the words that clinched my optimistic approval: “At FMCSA, we’re focused on reinforcing that alignment [between government and industry] and having clarity and accountability,” Barrs professed. “That means consistent enforcement for everyone. We must enforce the laws. With the previous administration—and I don’t want to say too much about that—but I can tell you there wasn’t a lot of enforcement done consistently.”

Now if he could just talk to the president about lowering those fuel prices.