Opinion ID: 185455
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Operations of the Department of Transportation

Text: 12 Under the Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1984, Pub. L. No. 98-554, 98 Stat. 2829 (1984), the Secretary of the DOT has authority to issue regulations governing vehicle safety. See, e.g., 49 U.S.C. 31133(a). The Secretary's authority includes the power to initiate an investigation, subpoena witnesses and records, and inspect motor carriers or documents belonging to motor carriers. 49 U.S.C. 502(a), 504(c)(1)-(2), 506(a). The IG has no responsibility in these areas of operation. 13 The Secretary of Transportation has delegated this authority to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), which in turn has issued federal motor carrier safety regulations. See 49 U.S.C. 104; 49 C.F.R. 350.1-399.207. Until January 1, 2000, FHA's Office of Motor Carriers administered the regulation of interstate motor carriers. However, pursuant to the MCSIA, responsibility for administering regulations governing interstate motor carriers was transferred to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). 14 The Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1984 authorizes the FHA to enforce safety regulations and conduct compliance reviews. 49 U.S.C. 31115. The FHA can itself bring a civil action or request that the Attorney General enforce a regulation or prosecute an alleged violator. 49 U.S.C. 507 (b). The Act prescribes both civil and criminal penalties for violations of the safety regulations. 49 U.S.C. 521. Although the FHA is authorized to oversee motor carrier compliance with safety regulations, the Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1984 does not authorize the FHA to engage in searches and seizures.