FMCSA announces $80M to go toward safety grants

On September 13th, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced $80,714,223 will be going toward grant awards.  

They will be provided under the High Priority (HP) Grant Program, which funds initiatives under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program to improve commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety. The grant program also contributes to advanced tech, research funds, and projects that positively influence CMV safety.  

Motor carrier safety activities and projects funded by the HP Grant Program include: 

• Improvement of safe and secure transportation of hazardous materials. 
• Improvement of safely transporting goods and persons in foreign commerce. 
• Demonstration of new technologies meant to improve CMV safety. 
• Advancement in technology to enhance CMV’s operator awareness of roadway hazards and parking availability. 
• Support participation in performance and registration information system management. 
• Conduct safety data improvement projects. 
• Increase public awareness and education of CMV safety. 
• Target unsafe driving in areas identified as high-risk crash corridors; which include work zones. 
• Improve CMV safety and compliance with regulations. 

HP grant funds are given to states, local governments, federally recognized Native American tribes, non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and other groups who carry out high priority activities and projects. However, individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible for the program’s financial assistance. 

Prior to this, the FMCSA also made investments in the past few months in other programs and projects, such as: 

• Funding community colleges to train veterans for CDLs. 
• Improving CDL processing. 
• Supporting the Women of Trucking Advisory Board. 
• Studying the effects of driver detention time. 
• Starting up the truck predatory leasing task force. 

The HP program supports the efforts outlined in the President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL provides about $350 billion over a five-year span to federal highway programs. It also aims to strengthen the supply chains by making improvements to America’s ports, airports, rail, and roads. The investments in the HP activities also advances the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, which outlines a comprehensive approach to reducing injuries and deaths on American highways, roads, and streets.