A government shutdown could happen this weekend — here’s how the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency regulating the trucking industry, would be affected.
If Congress doesn’t act quickly, the federal government will run out of funding and shut down at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, October 1. During a government shutdown, only federal agencies and workers deemed “essential” will continue working. All government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), have contingency plans in place for a shut down.
Does The FMCSA Shut Down If The Federal Government Shuts Down?
If a government shutdown occurs, the FMCSA would not be impacted and would continue in its day to day operations regulating the trucking industry as usual because of the way that the agency is funded.
“FMCSA positions are primarily funded by authorized contract authority and paid out of the Highway Trust Fund and liquidated with cash appropriated by annual appropriations … FMCSA has sufficient balances of liquidating cash to operate during a short-term lapse of annual appropriations,” the agency said.
Business As Usual For FMCSA
According to an August 23 DOT contingency plan, none of the FMCSA’s 1,121 employees would be furloughed in the event of a shutdown.
Other transportation agencies including the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would also continue normal operations during a government shutdown.
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