Tag: #transportation

Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Climate and Transportation Research Funding

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The first-of-its-kind Department of Transportation (DOT) Climate and Transportation Research Initiative will support efforts to address climate change and transportation challenges

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a funding opportunity to establish the U.S. DOT Climate and Transportation Research Initiative funded at $2.5 million for the first year. This funding supports a partnership between U.S. DOT and a university or other eligible organizations to conduct research advancing solutions to the Nation’s climate and transportation challenges.

“In the past few months alone, Americans from Vermont to Hawaii have faced the devastating impact of so-called ‘once-in-a-century’ disasters that are now becoming more frequent, more deadly, and more destructive to our economy than ever,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “As we face the profound and urgent threat of the climate crisis, we need cleaner transportation systems, and this investment will help deliver that by harnessing research and technology to find new solutions.”

The Climate and Transportation Research Center will advance research and technologies to support the Nation’s clean energy goals, strengthen the resilience of the Nation’s transportation infrastructure, and address environmental impacts created by the transportation system.

“When it comes to climate change and transportation, research and technology have a lot to bring to the table,” said Dr. Robert C. Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology and Chief Science Officer. “This unprecedented funding opportunity will help us advance climate solutions for the entire transportation sector.”

The funding opportunity will fund a university or nonprofit and at least one partner organization for $2.5 million in year one, and up to $2.5 million in years two and three, subject to availability of funds. The partnership can be renewed for a total of five-years, totaling $12.5 million, subject to availability of funds.

An informational webinar on the U.S. DOT Climate and Transportation Research Initiative will be held on October 27, 2:30-4 pm Eastern Time. Register here.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Original article published by USDOT

CVSA Transitions to New Leadership for 2023-2024

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CVSA Transitions to New Leadership for 2023-2024

Photo property of CVSA

As of Oct. 1, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has transitioned to new leadership for 2023-2024. Col. Russ Christoferson, with the Montana Department of Transportation, is the new president of the Alliance. Capt. John Hahn, of the Colorado State Patrol, is CVSA’s vice president. And Maj. Chris Nordloh, from the Texas Department of Public Safety, moves into his three-year term as past president.

On Sept. 20, CVSA Class I Members and Class II Local Members elected Maj. Erick McGuire, with the Florida Highway Patrol, to the position of CVSA secretary. Maj. McGuire will serve one year as secretary of the Alliance, while concurrently serving as chair of the CVSA Election Committee. Then, he’ll serve one year as vice president of the Alliance and chair of the CVSA Finance Committee. The year after that, he will become CVSA’s president. After one year as president, Maj. McGuire will then serve three years as past president – making the entire obligation a six-year commitment.

In addition to the executive leadership transition, the following region changes were made:

  • Tpr. Brian Pfarrer, with the New Jersey State Police, is president of Region I. Sgt. Abraham Rosario, from the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, is vice president.
  • Region III’s president is Lt. Mike Maytum, with the Nebraska State Patrol, and Lt. Christopher Keller, with the Michigan State Police, is vice president.
  • Krista Cull, from Newfoundland and Labrador, is Region V president. From the Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, Sgt. Mathew Austin will serve as vice president.

Continue reading “CVSA Transitions to New Leadership for 2023-2024”

ATRI Commences Research on Challenges Faced by Women Truck Drivers

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ATRI Commences Research on Challenges Faced by Women Truck DriversWashington, DC – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) is initiating research on the challenges facing women truck drivers as well as barriers that discourage women from considering a career as a truck driver.  The comprehensive study will also identify strategies for overcoming industry issues faced by women.  Previous ATRI research has confirmed that women make up only 8.1 percent of all U.S. truck drivers, and only 2.7 percent of over-the-road truck drivers.  In response, the ATRI Research Advisory Committee prioritized this new women-focused research initiative at its 2023 Annual Meeting.

Key components of the research will include:

  • National surveys and focus groups with women who are veteran truck drivers, new entrants, and women who are former truck drivers.  In addition, the researchers will engage different groups of women to identify both issues and motivators for women considering careers in trucking.
  • Recognizing that certain fleets have substantially more women drivers than typical fleets, motor carriers will be surveyed and interviewed to identify best practices in recruiting and retaining women truck drivers.  Additional outreach will focus on women executives at motor carriers in order to understand issues and opportunities beyond truck driving.
  • Collaborating with truck driver training schools to identify recruitment and training issues unique to women.

Research Analyst Abbigail Huffman, who will lead the multi-faceted research for ATRI, invites industry stakeholders who would like to be involved in the research to contact her at AHuffman@trucking.org

ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501c3 not-for-profit research organization.  It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.

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Original article published by ATRI

House hearing explores concerns related to driverless trucks

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Chris-Spear.jpg
Photo: House Highways and Transit Subcommittee

Washington — A centralized framework that emphasizes safety and lets innovation “thrive” is crucial for the federal regulation of autonomous trucks, American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear says.

Speaking during a Sept. 13 hearing before the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Spear called on Congress to establish firm federal oversight to avoid a “patchwork” of state and local regulations that could “stifle the innovation” of automation “before it even has a chance to prove its worth.”

In Spear’s view, that includes “knee-jerk reactions” such as A.B. 316 – a proposed AV law in California that would have prohibited autonomous trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds from operating on state roadways without a person on board. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) vetoed the bill on Sept. 22.

In his opening remarks, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), who chairs the subcommittee, said a potential federal framework “should not be overly prescriptive, but instead create guardrails for the industry to grow with safety at the forefront.” He cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates showing that 94% of serious crashes can be attributed to driver-related factors such as speeding, fatigue, impairment and distraction.

Crawford said autonomous trucks can increase safety “by anticipating road dangers and mitigating or removing human error from the chain of events that lead to a crash.”

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the subcommittee’s ranking member, cautioned that the technology’s potential benefits “must be carefully weighed against risks, especially when public roads are being used as testing grounds for new technologies.”

Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), a former truck driver, said that although he isn’t opposed to autonomous trucking, he still has concerns related to its potential impact on issues such as cybersecurity and a perceived driver shortage.

“We can’t guarantee what hackers might be able to get into and put autonomous trucks at risk to our people,” Bost said. “I think we can put a lot of safety in there, but we’ve got to be very, very, very careful.”

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

California governor vetoes bill banning driverless trucks

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Photo: gorodenkoff/iStockphoto

Sacramento, CA — California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has vetoed legislation that would have banned autonomous trucks weighing 10,000-plus pounds from operating on the state’s roadways without a person on board.

A.B. 316 also would have prevented the California Highway Patrol and Department of Motor Vehicles from considering permits for AVs until 2029.

Newsom writes in a Sept. 22 veto message that the proposed bill is “unnecessary for the regulation and oversight of heavy-duty autonomous vehicle technology in California, as existing law provides sufficient authority to create the appropriate regulatory framework.”

The governor cites 2012 legislation that permits California’s DMV to work with the state highway patrol, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and “others with relevant expertise” to determine regulations related to autonomous trucks.

Lawmakers in January introduced A.B. 316 in the California Assembly. The bipartisan legislation was unanimously approved by the Senate Transportation Committee on July 12 and on Sept. 11 passed in the California Senate and Assembly.

The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association backs the governor’s decision to veto the bill. “As a result, California’s safety experts can continue to evaluate autonomous vehicle technology and consider appropriate regulatory action,” AVIA Executive Director Jeff Farrah said in a press release.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters participated in a Sept. 19 rally calling on Newsom to sign A.B. 316 into law. In a Sept. 23 post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien wrote that Newsom, who vetoed the bill on a Friday evening, “doesn’t have the guts to face working people. He’d rather give away our jobs in the dead of night.”

O’Brien added that vetoing the bill is “giving a green light to put these dangerous rigs on the road.”

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

Safe parking one focus of $80 million in FMCSA grants

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Trucks line up at a Port of Los Angeles gate. (photo courtesy of the Port of Los Angeles)

Washington — Improving truckers’ access to safe parking is one of the initiatives being funded by more than $80 million in high priority grants from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The grant program provides funding for activities and projects aimed at strengthening trucking safety by way of the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, as well as innovative technology, research and other projects. State and local governments, Native American tribes, political jurisdictions, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education are among the groups eligible for funding.

The grant initiatives include a 65% increase in funding from last year for truck parking projects, as well as providing dynamic message signage – intended to help truck drivers locate open parking spaces in rest areas – along highways in Delaware, Indiana and Kentucky.

Other projects awarded grants include:

  • Research to support automated, location-based driver alerts via electronic logging devices that inform drivers of upcoming work zones
  • Enhancement of electronic screening technologies to detect vehicle violations, including automated license plate readers, U.S. Department of Transportation number readers, tire monitoring system, and hazardous material placard readers

“We depend on truck drivers every day, and we have a national responsibility to support their safety and job quality,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a press release. “Today, we are proud to deliver new funding that will improve safety on our nation’s roads.”

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

Winners of 2023 Road Safety Student Art Contest Announced by U.S. Department of Transportation

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Winning artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters building in Washington, D.C

Washington, D.C. – Today, The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the winners of the 2023 Road Safety Student Art Contest. The annual event helps highlight the need for all roadway users to focus on safety.

“The colorful vision and imagination we saw in this year’s art pieces were remarkable,” said FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson in congratulating the winners. “To translate an idea into a meaningful design is challenging, and we’re thrilled to display the final products.”

Each year, students ranging from kindergarten through high school are invited to enter the Road Safety Art Contest and use their artistic skills to raise awareness about how to stay safe on the road, particularly when driving, biking, or walking around large trucks and buses. This year’s Road Safety Student Art Contest received over 200 entries from students across the United States.

The winning artwork of the following 12 students will be displayed in the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters building in Washington, D.C., as well as featured in the 2024 Road Safety Student Art calendar that will be available later this year.

Grades K-2 winners:

  • Grand Prize – Ewan Park, Texas
  • People’s Choice – Manaswin Radically, North Carolina
  • Honorable Mention – Mazherah Cohen, Florida

Grades 3-5 winners:

  • Grand Prize – Brandon Lee, California
  • People’s Choice– Natalie Ng, Texas
  • Honorable Mention– Noelle Cho, Illinois

Grades 6-8 winners:

  • Grand Prize – Austin Wong, California
  • People’s Choice – Noah Cho, Illinois
  • Honorable Mention – Michelle Jinx, New Jersey

Grade 9-12 winners:

  • Grand Prize – Sanjay Ravishankar, New Jersey
  • People’s Choice – Christie Bae, Virginia
  • Honorable Mention – Alex Yoon, Oklahoma

The contest is an initiative under FMCSA’s Our Roads, Our Safety® partnership, which comprises more than 30 governmental, safety, industry, and private organizations. Through this effort, young artists remind all road users about the shared responsibility we all have to keep America’s roadways safe. With fatal crashes on the rise, increasing road safety awareness is a priority for DOT as part of its National Roadway Safety Strategy.

To learn more about the Road Safety Student Art Contest and see high-resolution versions of the winning entries, visit https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/OurRoadsArtContest.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

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Original article published by FMCSA

U.S. DOT Invests Nearly $15 Million to Improve Pipeline Safety

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Photo: PHMSA

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today announced it is awarding $14.8 million in grants to fund projects and activities to improve pipeline safety. These grants will support important pipeline safety training and educational programs, as well as the advancement of pipeline safety technologies. Recipients include state pipeline safety programs; state One-Call and damage prevention centers; community and non-profit organizations; and six universities.

“To ensure the safety of the world’s largest pipeline system—we need every level of government and the non-profit sector working to mitigate risk,” said PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown. “These grants will provide states, non-profits, first responders and academic institutions with the resources necessary to better protect the public.”

PHMSA is awarding grants for five of its programs across the country, including:

  • $1.1 million in One-Call Grants to provide funding to state agencies in promoting damage prevention, including changes with their state underground damage prevention laws, related compliance activities, training, and public education.
  • $1.5 million in State Damage Prevention Program Grants for states to establish or improve state programs designed to prevent damage to underground pipelines.

Continue reading “U.S. DOT Invests Nearly $15 Million to Improve Pipeline Safety”

Teamsters call for strong federal oversight of driverless trucks

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Washington — Federal regulation of autonomous trucks must “prioritize both workers and safety,” the International Brotherhood of Teamsters says.
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Photo: gorodenkoff/iStockphoto

In a recently released framework document, the Teamsters list suggestions Congress and federal regulators should consider when forming federal policy on autonomous trucks. Among them: Include a requirement for human operators and don’t issue rules that override any on the state level that have “greater protections.”

The labor union provides five principles to guide policy: regulating the vehicle, regulating the operator, regulating operations, interaction with other laws and workforce impacts.

Mandating that autonomous trucks be operated by humans subject to DOT requirements governing commercial driver’s licenses and hours-of-service regulations is among the Teamsters’ top objectives. The union also wants to uphold state regulations that might require more human operators and monitors or greater licensing standards and restrictions on autonomous vehicle use than a federal policy might stipulate.

Other proposed provisions:

  • Authorize the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to revoke operating authority for the use of AVs by any operator at its discretion because of safety issues.
  • Require motor carriers that want to deploy AVs to report the location and function of vehicles in use.
  • Ensure Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards – not a waiver – regulate the design, construction and performance of highly automated vehicles and automated driving systems.
  • Require any recipient of federal funding, federal transit funding or holder of FMCSA operating authority to publicly disclose planned AV use and its expected workforce impacts.

“Strong federal AV policies must prioritize both workers and safety,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said in a press release. “Any legislation that puts workers and the general public at risk will be met with aggressive opposition by the Teamsters and our allies.”

A developing AV law in California holds the Teamsters’ backing. On Sept. 11, the California Senate and Assembly passed A.B. 316, which would prohibit autonomous trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds from operating on state roadways without human drivers.

The legislation also would keep the California Highway Patrol and Department of Motor Vehicles from considering permits for AVs until 2029.

O’Brien, in a separate release, affirmed the Teamsters’ backing of the bill while calling on California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to sign it. Neglecting to do so would put “the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of truck drivers at risk, while jeopardizing public safety.”

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Grants to Improve the Commercial Driver’s Licensing Process and Get More Safe Truck Drivers on the Road

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Historic funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law helps streamline CDL issuance and expand opportunities to Veterans and in underserved communities

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced it will award approximately $48 million in grant funding to increase commercial driver’s license (CDL) driver training opportunities and continue to improve the process to obtain a CDL. This funding is aimed at improving the resiliency of our national supply chain and strengthening America’s trucking workforce. It is one of the many ways the Biden-Harris Administration is demonstrating its continued commitment to its Trucking Action Plan.

“Every day, we all count on food, clothing, medicine, and other goods that reach us thanks to America’s truck drivers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With these grants, we are helping states bring more well-trained drivers into this essential field, strengthening our supply chains for years to come.”

FMCSA is awarding more than $44 million to states and other entities to operate national CDL programs through the Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) grant. This will help states expedite CDL issuance and renewals and ensure states electronically exchange conviction and disqualification data. (Note: This data pertains primarily to motor vehicle traffic control-related convictions and other convictions and disqualifications outlined in 49 CFR 383.51 not all conviction data). It will also implement regulatory safety requirements supporting the National Roadway Safety Strategy and develop human trafficking outreach and education materials for CDL drivers. Examples of projects funded include hiring state personnel to reduce CDL skills testing delays, improving CDL reporting, maintaining accurate driver records, and training CDL skills test examiners.

Thanks to the more than $3 million investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training grant (CMVOST) recipients will also increase their capacity to train veterans and their family members, individuals from underserved and refugee communities, and other Americans to safely operate CMVs, obtain their CDLs, and enter the truck and bus driving profession.

“This essential funding provided through the CMVOST grant program will help expand and diversify the pool of trained drivers, with an important focus on attracting Veterans and individuals from underserved and refugee communities,” said FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “We’re proud that these grants are giving priority to current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard, Reservists, and their family members, to pursue a commercial driver’s license.”

Read more about FMCSA’s grants and financial assistance.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

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Original article published by FMCSA