# Presentation: 384549

## An Introduction to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

## Who We Are

-  A separate administration within the  U.S.
-     Department of Transportation.
- Created to reduce crashes, injuries and  fatalities involving large trucks and buses
- Headquartered in Washington, D.C.
- Over 1,000 employees in all  50 states (including  Washington, D.C.)

## What We Do

-  Develop and enforce data-driven   regulations that balance safety with  efficiency
-  Harness safety information systems to  focus on higher risk carriers
-  Target educational messages to  carriers, commercial drivers and the   public

## Key Programs of the FMCSA

- Federal Motor Safety Regulations
- Hazardous Materials Regulations
- Commercial Driver’s License Program
- Motor Carrier Safety Identification and Information Systems
- New Entrant Safety Assurance Process

- Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program
- Performance & Registration Information Systems Management (Prism)
- Research and Technology
- Border and International Safety
- Safety Education and Outreach
- Household Goods Program

## Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)

-  FMCSA develops, maintains and enforces  federal regulations that promote carrier  safety, industry productivity and new  technologies
-  Establishes safe operating requirements for  commercial vehicle drivers, carriers, vehicles  and equipment

## Hazardous Material Regulations (HMRs)

-  These are rules designed to ensure the   safe and secure transportation of  hazardous materials by addressing:
- Classification of hazardous materials
- Proper packaging
- Employee training
- Hazard communication
- Operational requirements

## Commercial Driver’s License Program

-  FMCSA develops, monitors and ensures   compliance with the commercial driver  licensing standards for drivers, carriers  and States.

## Motor Carrier Safety Identification and Information Systems

-  Provides safety data to the industry and the  public, such as:
- State and national crash statistics
- Current analysis results
- Detailed motor carrier safety performance data
- This data allows officials to target inspections and investigations on higher risk carriers, vehicles and drivers.

## New Entrant Safety Assurance Process

-  Ensures that new entrant motor carriers are   knowledgeable about FMCSRs and HMRs
-  18-month monitoring period requires carrier  to pass a safety audit and maintain safe  operations to receive permanent USDOT  registration
-  New entrant motor carriers that fail to  maintain adequate basic safety management  controls may have their temporary USDOT  registration revoked

## Motor Carrier Safety Assurance Program (MCSAP)

- Federal grant program that provides states with financial assistance to hire staff and implement strategies to enforce FMCSRs and HMRs. Funds are used to:
- Conduct roadside inspections and review motor carriers’ compliance with regulations
- Promote detection and correction of safety defects, driver deficiencies and unsafe motor carrier practices

##  Performance & Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM)

-  A Federal-State partnership that makes   safe performance a requirement for  obtaining and keeping commercial  vehicle registration.
-  PRISM plays a key role in FMCSA’s  effort to remove high-risk carriers from  our highways.

##  Performance & Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM)

- Links Federal motor carrier safety records with the State’s vehicle registration system
- The USDOT number of the carrier responsible for safety is identified at the vehicle level (before license plates are issued).
- Carriers prohibited by FMCSA from operating in interstate commerce may have their ability to register vehicles denied.

## Research and Technology (R&T)

-  R&T work is aimed at gaining  fundamental and applied knowledge in  order to develop new methods and  technologies to enhance truck and bus  safety and security.

## Border and International Safety

-  Supports the development of compatible  motor carrier safety requirements and  procedures throughout North America
-  Works closely with  the governments of  Canada and Mexico  to ensure that these  countries’ motor  carriers, drivers and  vehicles meet the  same safety standards  as U.S. carriers

## Safety Education & Outreach

-  Implements educational strategies to  increase motor carrier compliance with  the safety regulations and reduce the  likelihood of a commercial vehicle crash
-  Messages are aimed  at all highway users  including passenger  car drivers, truck  drivers, pedestrians  and bicyclists.

## Household Goods Program

-  Regulates interstate household goods   movers and requires them to register   with the agency.
- FMCSA has developed a Web site to assist   consumers moving across State lines:
- 	      _[http://](http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/factsfigs/moving.htm)__[www.fmcsa.dot.gov/factsfigs/moving.htm](http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/factsfigs/moving.htm)_
- 24-hour toll-free hotline: (888) 368-7238
- Web site for consumer complaints:
-            _[http://www.1-888-dot-saft.com](http://www.1-888-dot-saft.com/)_

## For More Information...

** **_**MAIL**_** **Federal Motor Carrier   Safety Administration   400 Seventh Street, SW   Washington, DC 20590
** **_**PHONE**_
-      (202) 366-2519
** **_**INTERNET**_
-      _[http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov](http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/)_

## In Conclusion

-  Presently we are updating the current   Spanish  Website in order to better  serve Mexico-based motor carriers that are  and will be operating in the U.S.
-  The mission of the FMCSA is to   prevent commercial motor vehicle- related fatalities and injuries.