WASHINGTON — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is expressing its support for the commercial motor vehicle safety provisions in the BUILD America 250 Act.
“The BUILD America 250 Act lays the groundwork for long-term improvements in commercial motor vehicle safety by investing in enforcement, training, compliance and innovation,” said Collin Mooney, CVSA executive director.
Key Components
In a letter submitted to leadership of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Alliance praised the bill for:
- Providing critical funding through the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) and other discretionary grant initiatives.
- Expanding MCSAP spending eligibility.
- Supporting certification training for commercial motor vehicle inspectors through improvements to the Enforcement Training and Support Grant.
- Requiring minimum knowledge standards for new motor carriers and improvements to the New Entrant Safety Assurance Program.
- Improving hazardous materials training for inspectors, first responders and industry personnel.
- Expanding eligibility for Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation Grants to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Strengthening oversight of exemptions from federal regulations.
- Improving the electronic logging device (ELD) certification process.
- Addressing challenges posed by chameleon carriers.
- Improving lithium battery transportation safety by establishing registration and other requirements.
- Establishing a framework for commercial motor vehicles equipped with autonomous driving systems.
CVSA Objections
According to CVSA, while the BUILD America 250 Act does much to improve roadway safety, the bill also contains several concerning exemptions from size and weight and ELD requirements for various industry groups. CVSA does not support the inclusion of these exemptions and will work with lawmakers to continue to improve the legislation as it moves through the legislative process.
“The BUILD America 250 Act represents an important opportunity to strengthen commercial motor vehicle safety, improve regulatory compliance and provide states with tools and resources to support enforcement and transportation safety efforts,” Mooney said. “CVSA looks forward to continuing to work with Congress and its partners to advance policies that prevent crashes, injuries and fatalities on our nation’s roadways.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
