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News Digest DOT 42-16

Friday, April 15, 2016

UTC Grant Competition Generates Unprecedented Interest - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers (UTC) program allows students and faculty to work together toward innovative solutions to the challenges that face our transportation system, such as those outlined in our “Beyond Traffic” study. On March 1, we announced the availability of $377.5 million over the next five years for grants to support solution-oriented transportation research at colleges and universities under our UTC Program. This year, for the first time, two-year institutions of higher education are eligible to partner in the UTC consortia.  Funding for FY 2016 provides for awards totaling approximately $72.5 million. A record-high number of 259 letters of intent were received from applicants by the April 1 deadline. This amounts to almost twice as many as in the previous 2013 competition. Full applications are due on Friday, May 13, and only those who submitted letters of intent by the deadline are eligible to apply.  USDOT plans to meet its anticipated start date of September 30, 2016 for the grants selected through this competition. For more information contact Nancy Wilochka at (202) 366-5128 or nancy.wilochka@dot.gov.

FMCSA Reminds Medical Examiners and Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers that Revised Driver Examination Forms Must Be Used Beginning April 20, 2016.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reminds Medical Examiners (MEs) and commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers that, as of April 20, 2016, certified MEs performing physical examinations of CMV drivers must use the revised versions of the Medical Examination Report (MER) Form (MCSA–5875) and the Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC) Form (MCSA–5876).  In April 2015, FMCSA published the Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration final rule, designed to facilitate the electronic transmission of MEC information from FMCSA’s National Registry to the State Driver’s Licensing Agencies, and required the use of revised MER and MEC forms.  In December 2015, FMCSA announced a 120-day grace period – from December 22, 2015 through April 20, 2016 – during which MEs may use either the old “substantially in accordance with” versions or the newly revised versions of the MER Form and MEC Form.  FMCSA provided a grace period to ensure that MEs had sufficient time to become familiar with the new forms and to program electronic medical records systems.  MEs and CMV drivers with questions are directed to contact the FMCSA Medical Programs Division at (202) 366-4001 or FMCSAMedical@dot.gov.  Press Contact:  Troy Green:  (202) 366-9999.

FMCSA Issues Safety Advisory for the Immediate Re-inspection and Retesting of Certain Cargo Tank Motor Vehicles.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is issuing a safety advisory to provide notice to owners and operators of certain cargo tanks that they have: 1) been improperly inspected and tested, and 2) must be re-inspected and retested before being used in Hazardous Materials specification tank service.  The tanks in question were tested by H&W Tank Testing (CT#8083; Ohatchee, Alabama) and Christopher Humphries (CT#13131; Jacksonville, Alabama).  Cargo tanks that have been inspected and/or tested by either company from April 2011 through March 2016 must be re-inspected and/or retested immediately by a cargo tank facility registered with FMCSA.  It is a violation of the Federal Hazardous Materials Regulations to use these cargo tank motor vehicles for transportation of hazardous materials before they have been properly re-inspected and retested by an FMCSA-registered cargo tank facility.  Owners and operators must immediately provide FMCSA with documentation that the required inspections and testing have been performed for all of the affected cargo tank motor vehicles.  Click here to read the full safety advisory, including the entire list of documentation requirements.  Owners and operators with questions are directed to contact FMCSA’s Hazardous Materials Division at fmcsa.cargotank@dot.gov.   Contact:  Troy Green:  (202) 366-9999.

FMCSA Releases Latest Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts Report.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today released “Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts, 2014.”  This recurring annual report contains descriptive statistics about crashes involving large trucks and buses that caused fatalities, injuries, or property damage.  For comparative purposes, crash statistics on passenger vehicles are also presented.  Among the findings:  The number of large trucks and buses involved in fatal crashes decreased by five percent and 17 percent, respectively, in 2014 when compared to 2013.  The analysis also found year-over-year vehicle miles traveled (VMT) increased large trucks (1.5 percent) and buses (5.5 percent) in 2014.  Click here to view the full report.  Contact:  Troy Green:  (202) 366-9999.