More than $471 million in grant funding is going to 56 states, territories and local transportation offices to support programs designed to reduce commercial motor vehicle accidents, injuries and fatalities. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) grants June 1. The DOT states that MCSAP's goal "is to reduce CMV-involved crashes, fatalities, and injuries through consistent, uniform, and effective CMV safety programs that support innovative commercial driver training, safety inspections, and enhanced compliance and enforcement initiatives."

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) administers MCSAP, the agency's largest grant program, according to the news release. MCSAP grants support territories, states, law enforcement agencies and local transportation departments to utilize more than 12,000 officers to promote education outreach and safety initiatives, the release states. MCSAP grant funding was increased by 61% in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, "giving states and territories more money than ever before to support roadway safety through enhanced driver and vehicle inspections, traffic enforcement, investigations, data collection, and public education and awareness," the release reports. 

“These grants align with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and ensure we are all working towards the same goal: zero fatalities on our roadways,” FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson said in the release. “FMCSA’s core mission is safety, and we are committed to working with our state and territorial partners to enhance the safety of our roadways.” 

Under the MCSAP umbrella, various initiatives include innovative commercial driver training programs that equip drivers with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate CMVs safely; safety inspections to identify and address potential risks and deficiencies in CMVs; and enhanced compliance and enforcement measures to ensure CMV operators adhere to safety regulations and face appropriate consequences for non-compliance, according to the release.  

“Commercial vehicles are an essential part of our supply chains, our economy, and our way of life — and we must ensure that they are as safe as possible,” DOT Sec. Pete Buttigieg said in the release. “This funding will help save lives by making our roads safer for commercial vehicle drivers and everyone who shares the road with them.”