Fiscal Year 2021 - Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program Planning and Application

The Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) is a Federal formula grant program that provides financial assistance to States to reduce the number and severity of crashes, injuries, and fatalities and hazardous material incidents involving commercial motor vehicles. The program is governed by 49 U.S.C. §§ 31102 and 31104, as amended by the FAST Act, 49 C.F.R. part 350, and any other requirements under the annual appropriations act. The program consists of nine national program elements, including driver and vehicle inspections, traffic enforcement, compliance reviews and investigations, public education and awareness, data collection, new entrant safety audits, border enforcement activities, Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM) Full Participation, and information technology system investment. The program encourages States to describe how activities proposed in their application would address the unique challenges facing rural transportation networks. Some of the key emphasis areas include passenger carrier safety, enforcement of out-of-service orders, electronic logging devices, work zone safety, and innovative technology deployment. Key aspects of the program include: • Driver and vehicle inspections to ensure compliance with safety regulations • Traffic enforcement activities, including CMV traffic enforcement and non-CMV traffic enforcement • Compliance reviews and investigations to ensure motor carrier safety • Public education and awareness to promote safe transportation practices • Data collection to track and analyze safety data • New entrant safety audits to ensure new carriers are operating safely • Border enforcement activities to target CMVs engaged in international commerce • PRISM Full Participation to ensure States are participating in the PRISM program • Information technology system investment to support MCSAP activities