The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently declared the availability of over $180 million in grants to bolster roadway safety. These grants, a component of the funding designated in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, are open for application by state, territorial, and tribal organizations, local jurisdictions, academic institutions, and various training programs. The objective is to facilitate activities enhancing safety in commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations.
“When we improve technology, training, and tools to make our roadways safer for truck and bus drivers, everyone benefits,” said Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation. “The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to announce more than $180 million to make commercial vehicle driving safer and more efficient while creating onramps for veterans and military families entering these great careers.”
The funding avenues are accessible through five distinct discretionary grant programs, each designed with specific goals:
- High Priority Innovative Technology Deployment Grant Program: This program supports groundbreaking projects that advance technological capabilities and encourage the deployment of intelligent transportation system applications. These applications include truck parking information management systems and other CMV operations. The program aims to support and maintain CMV information systems/networks, improve safety and productivity of CMVs and commercial drivers, and reduce costs associated with CMV operations and regulatory requirements.
- High Priority Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Grant Program: Geared towards funding CMV safety-related activities, this program focuses on increasing public awareness and education on CMV safety. It targets unsafe driving in high-risk crash corridors, demonstrates new technologies to enhance CMV safety, improves safety data, and supports projects aligning with FMCSA’s mission of enhancing CMV safety nationwide.
- Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grant Program: This program allocates funds to organizations providing CMV operator training. The primary goal is to improve training accessibility for current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families, along with underserved and refugee communities.
- Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation Grant Program: Dedicated to supporting the implementation and enhancement of the national commercial driver’s license program, this initiative focuses on ensuring each CDL driver maintains only one driving record and licensing document, commonly known as “One Driver — One License — One Record.”
- High Priority Enforcement Training and Support Grant Program: This program finances the development and delivery of motor carrier safety training to non-Federal employees engaged in CMV enforcement activities. The training adheres to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, Hazardous Materials Regulations, and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Out-of-Service criteria. Additionally, it supports the creation of related training materials to enhance awareness, education, and overall improvement of CMV safety.
“FMCSA’s core mission is safety. That’s a big job, and it’s one we cannot do alone,” said Sue Lawless, FMCSA’s acting deputy administrator. “This grant funding is one way we bring in safety partners to help reduce crashes involving large trucks and buses. We are proud to support the critical CMV safety work happening across the country.”
Source: Truckers News
