WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Truck & Equipment Association (NTEA) hosted a Leadership Conference on Apr. 18 in Washington, D.C., that consisted of a series of meetings with legislators and regulators. Conference attendees from the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association and the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers participated in discussions at the White House with the special assistant to the President for economic policy, the administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) chief of staff.

Participants also discussed the regulatory issues faced by multi-stage motor vehicle manufacturers with Rep. Mike Rogers (R–MI) and Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D–TX). In addition, conference attendees met with NHTSA Deputy Administrator Jim Ports, Associate Administrator for Rulemaking Steve Kratzke, Associate Administrator for Enforcement Dan Smith, Director of External Affairs Michael Harrington, FMCSA Director of the Office of Bus and Truck Standards and Operations Larry Minor, and Mike Wascom from the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Under Secretary. NHTSA officials stressed their interest in working with the NTEA and other groups to share knowledge and draft reasonable regulations.