The U.S. Department of Transportation says it wants unqualified truck drivers off the road and for CDL standards to improve.
On Tuesday, Dec. 30, the DOT announced $118 million in grants that the agency says are aimed at ramping up commercial motor vehicle enforcement.
“We’re backing aggressive enforcement and empowering states to keep unqualified, unvetted drivers off the road, investing in state-of-the-art technology to make our roads safer and taking care of veterans interested in a career in trucking,” DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said.
The DOT is offering three competitive grant programs.
The first will dedicate $71.6 million in high-priority grants to help state and local enforcement reduce commercial vehicle crashes. Funds will also be awarded for safety data improvement projects, public awareness campaigns and high-visibility enforcement efforts targeting unsafe driving on high-risk CMV corridors.
Another $43.8 million will be awarded for CDL program implementation grants. These funds are intended to help states comply with federal regulations and “ensure that the CDL process is secure, accurate and resistant to fraud.”
During an interview with Land Line earlier this month, FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said that improving CDL standards is a priority of the agency.
“The issue is that it opens the door up for a lack of oversight, which opens the door for potential fraud occurring,” Barrs told Land Line. “People not following the rules because no one is watching. I use the no one’s minding the story type of analogy. If nobody’s watching, then I’m going to find a way to skirt the system, which then compromises safety.”
The CDL program implementation grants aim to ensure that only qualified drivers are eligible to receive and retain a commercial driver’s license.
Another $3.4 million of grant money will be awarded for commercial motor vehicle operator safety training. The program is dedicated to supporting current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and reservists, and their families by providing them with high-quality, safety-focused commercial driver training.
“These grants are about giving our partners the tools they need to be effective,” Barrs said. “Whether it’s deploying smart technology to identify unsafe vehicles or auditing CDL programs to prevent fraud, every dollar is focused on raising the bar for safety and ensuring only qualified drivers and compliant vehicles are on our roads.” LL
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