David Yessen
Stafford,VA
Summary
Accomplished and results driven leader with thirty five years of experience in enforcing regulations and developing policy and procedures that have impacted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the motor carrier industry on a national level. Has successfully demonstrated an ability to solve complex issues by leading teams and partnering with a diverse group of both internal and external stakeholders. Involved in several high-profile Agency initiatives that have transformed FMCSA on a national level and enabling the Agency to fulfill its mission to reduce commercial motor vehicle crashes.
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
Work History
Supervisory Transportation Specialist
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
10.2017 - Current
- Developing, implementing, and managing programs to ensure motor carrier compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR) and Commercial Regulations.
- Develop and promote policies and programs for the implementation and coordination of land transportation provisions of the United States-Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) and similar bi- and multi-lateral agreements.
- Develop policies and programs for the implementation of motor carrier safety regulations and legislation for Division’s program areas.
- Plan, develop, promote, and provides technical assistance and policy guidance to the field to ensure effective administration of North American border crossing activities and other international issues.
- Provide guidance and technical interpretation of regulations and policies to FMCSA Field Offices, Federal and State governmental entities, local jurisdictions, and the public regarding compliance program activities and policies.
- Establish and maintains partnerships with other Federal, State, and foreign governmental agencies, industry, and other stakeholders to promote safe and efficient motor carrier operations at border crossings and operations throughout the United States.
- Analyze existing programs to identify ways to improve compliance policies.
- Develops ways to improve the enforcement of the FMCSRs in conjunction with State enforcement agencies.
- Manage inter-agency agreements to support the Division’s operations.
- Develop an annual budget to ensure appropriate funding is available for the period of performance and manage the allocation of funds to high priority projects to support the Agency’s mission.
- Manage FMCSA’s New Entrant Safety Audit Program.
- Develop policy and procedures for investigating motor carriers using autonomous driving system (ADS) equipped vehicles.
- Serve in a supervisory capacity, managing six Federal staff with the overall goal of ensuring the continued development, enhancement, and implementation of the national compliance programs.
- Direct oversight of the development, implementation, and management of the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse Program.
- Responsible for reviewing and approving payroll, travel orders/vouchers and actions related to personnel and staffing.
Transportation Specialist
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
02.2015 - 10.2017
- Served as the program office lead responsible for the implementation and management of the Compliance, Safety & Accountability (CSA) program and Safety Measurement System (SMS).
- Responsible for monitoring and reviewing program data and make recommendations to senior management.
- Served as program office lead for reviewing proposed legislation and regulations and advising senior management of the impacts to the compliance programs and the Agency.
- Worked with the Office of Information Management to ensure FMCSA systems contain critical information and support compliance and enforcement activity.
- Program office lead for the development and implementation of a new high-risk motor carrier definition and system to assist the divisions with making risk-based assignment decisions.
- Served as Program Office Lead on the implementation of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommendations as it relates to the CSA Program and SMS.
- Developed and prepared for implementation several policies through the Office of Compliance including polices related to High Risk implementation, Serious Violation re-alignment, investigative process (Numbers Checked).
(Acting) Director of Field Operations
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
05.2017 - 09.2017
- Served in a 120-day detail as the acting Director of the Office of Field Operations.
- Supervisory responsibility for four employees, including performance planning, encouraging professional development, and assigning work.
- Managed human resources through tracking personnel actions (approval in FPPS), reviewed the hiring flow to establish process improvement, and tracking Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) matters.
- Served as last approver in acquisitions process for supplies needed by Field Staff and HQ Program Office (USBANK).
- Coordinated the Administrative Officers within Headquarters and the Service Centers, including reviewing bi-weekly verification of position reports to ensure that our office had an accurate list of vacancies.
- Worked with the National Training Center to facilitate the rollout of Electronic Logging Device training to Field Staff (Federal & State), and coordinate preliminary details for the January/February 2018 Academy.
- Oversaw Controlled Correspondence and Congressional Reports for MC-F Program Office.
- Participated in the Field coordination for emergency preparedness including providing required information to senior leadership on occurring natural disasters (wildfires, hurricanes) and to facilitate the issuance of any emergency declarations made by the Regional Field Administrators.
- Supported Government and Public Affairs on Congressional and media inquiries.
(Acting) Supervisory Transportation Specialist
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
10.2016 - 02.2017
- Served in a 120-day detail as the acting Chief of the Compliance Division within the Office of Enforcement and Compliance.
- Oversaw the analysis of the Agency’s compliance programs for effectiveness and efficiency.
- Supervised seven Division staff not only in achieving our core mission but also as it related to personal development for employees.
- Participated in briefing to Congressional Staff on FMCSA structure and activities, prepared responses to Congressional inquiries and served as the Compliance Division’s primary liaison to stakeholders within and outside of the Department.
Highway Safety Specialist (Federal Program Specialist)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
06.2005 - 02.2015
- Managed the Division’s Federal Program activities which included complete oversight of compliance and enforcement activities for both Federal and State Investigators (New Jersey State Police personnel).
- Completed in-depth quality assessment of complex motor carrier investigations and enforcement actions.
- Lead in the Division for review and dissemination of any Agency policy involving Federal Program activities and to determine the most effective method of delivery to field staff.
- Member of the task force assembled to develop a strategy for and deployment of Operation Quick Strike (targeted investigations of motorcoach operators with the highest crash risk).
- Assisted with the development of the Quick Strike Investigator training course.
- Was one of the core instructors tasked with training both phase one and phase two Quick Strike investigation teams.
- Served as one of four Quick Strike Mentors and was responsible for oversight of all Quick Strike investigations conducted in the Eastern Service Center and reviewed over 200 complex investigations conducted nationally.
- Participated in work group to modify Quick Strike Investigator training to develop an investigative techniques course (Enhanced Investigative Techniques – EIT) deliverable to all field investigative staff, program managers and Division Administrators.
- Served as a lead Enhanced Investigative Techniques (EIT) instructor during national roll out of EIT training.
- Lead in the Continuous Improvement Working Group (CIWG) effort to identify opportunities for improvement under the Compliance, Safety & Accountability Program.
Motor Carrier Safety Specialist
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
06.1990 - 06.2005
- Responsible for independently planning, scheduling, and completing complex investigations of commercial motor vehicle operations, hazardous materials shippers, and cargo tank repair/manufacturing facilities.
- Prepared and submitted well-documented and comprehensive enforcement reports resulting in civil and/or criminal penalties for violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, Hazardous Materials Regulations and Commercial Household Goods Regulations.
- Conducted Security Sensitivity Visits and Security Compliance Reviews on hazardous materials carriers and shippers.
- Developed and presented training materials to state and local governments in applicable program areas.
- Trained, monitored, and worked with state agencies with regards to roadside inspections, safety audits and compliance reviews.
- Trained and worked one-on-one with three New Jersey State Troopers and successfully instructed each in proper completion of safety reviews, compliance reviews and preparation of enforcement reports.
- Served as associate staff member for the National Training Center instructing federal, state and local enforcement agency members regarding Automatic On-board Recording Devices and technology related to commercial motor vehicle systems.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA05.1990
Skills
- Inspecting vehicles
- Safety auditing
- Effective communication
- Systems evaluation
- Organizational skills
- Analytical skills
- Risk assessment
- Incident investigation
- Safety management
- Regulatory compliance monitoring
Timeline
Supervisory Transportation Specialist
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
10.2017 - Current
(Acting) Director of Field Operations
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
05.2017 - 09.2017
(Acting) Supervisory Transportation Specialist
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
10.2016 - 02.2017
Transportation Specialist
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
02.2015 - 10.2017
Highway Safety Specialist (Federal Program Specialist)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
06.2005 - 02.2015
Motor Carrier Safety Specialist
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
06.1990 - 06.2005
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
University of Scranton
Selected Accomplishments
- Led the development, implementation, and management of the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) Program to improve the industry and FMCSA’s ability to prohibit commercial motor vehicle drivers with drug or alcohol violations from operating commercial motor vehicles.
- With only two years before a statutory date to implement, assembled and led a highly motivated team to develop an information system that would be the largest public facing system developed by FMCSA with a stakeholder reach of over 5 million users.
- Managed multiple partnerships not only within the United States Department of Transportation (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology and the Volpe National Transportation Center) but externally as well.
- The Clearinghouse was launched, in full on 2020-01-06, on time and on budget.
- The Clearinghouse in its first 3 months of operation registered nearly 1 million users and identified over 17,000 drivers that had engaged in conduct which prohibited them from operating commercial motor vehicles.
- Led the development and implementation of new prioritization methodology to identify motor carriers at the highest risk for crash involvement.
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