Inside This Issue...

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has supported a move to limit the maximum speed of large trucks, at the time of manufacture, to no more than 68 miles per hour. ATA hopes to reduce the number and severity of speed-related crashes among all vehicles on U.S. highways with this measure. The Canadian Trucking Alliance has also endorsed a national policy for provincial governments to pass laws making it mandatory for truck speed limits to be 105 kilometers per hour, the equivalent of 65 mph.

AAMVA continues to work jointly with the FMCSA Expanded CVISN (Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks) HVUT Working Group on efforts to improve the Federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax process. The working group, made up of representatives from several jurisdictions, industry, FMCSA, FHWA and other interested parties, has been working hard to engage the IRS and assist where possible as the IRS begins development of the new automated HVUT process. The major focus of the working group has been on the automation of HVUT, but due to some issues that have surfaced, the work plan has been expanded to include work to address some regulatory issues. The major work on automating the HVUT is just beginning so it will take some time before we will see major progress. Watch for updates on the AAMVA Web site in the MCS section and in the AAMVA Motor Carrier Services Update. Also, if you have specific questions or issues, contact Tim Adams at (502) 845-0398 or by email at tadams@aamva.org.

President George W. Bush has announced his intention to nominate Richard Capka, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) at the Department of Transportation. Capka currently serves as deputy administrator of the Federal Highway Administration. Previously, he served as acting administrator and earlier in his career as Chief Executive Officer and executive director of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. Capka also served the Army Corps of Engineers for 29 years and is a retired U.S. Brigadier General.

President Karen Grim, of Virginia, will host the 73rd Annual Region II Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia from June 11 - 15, 2006. The program, registration and conference sponsorship and exhibit information is now available on AAMVA's Web site. President Grim has chosen "Balancing Safety, Security, Service" as the theme for the 2006 Annual Region II Conference. President Liz Luce, of Washington, will host the Annual Region IV Conference in Seattle, Washington from June 28 - July 1, 2006. This program, registration and conference sponsorship and exhibit information is also available online. President Luce has chosen "e-DMV - Service, Safety and Accountability" as the theme for this year's conference. Mark your calendars and make your reservations for these conferences early.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis has released a Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. It examines the percentage of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities and fatality rates between states that have primary safety belt use laws and states that do not have them for the most recent years, 2000–2004. To view the document, see NHTSA's Web site.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta has announced the five medical experts who will serve on the new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Medical Review Board. Board members are appointed for two-year terms and are eligible for reappointment based on the agency's needs. Appointment criteria includes medical expertise in a medical specialty, an understanding of research methods, knowledge of transportation medical issues, experience on panels that develop medical standards, a record of scientific collaboration, professional service, and experience developing teaching programs. The appointees are: Dr. Gunnar Andersson, Rush University Medical Center; Dr. Michael Greenberg, Drexel University College of Medicine; Dr. Kurt Hegmann, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Utah; Dr. Barbara Phillips, University of Kentucky College of Health in the Department of Preventive Medicine; and Dr. Matthew Rizzo, University of Iowa College of Medicine.

Following the successful passage of the two North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)-related ballots in 2005, the southern Border States are beginning implementation activities. A meeting of the Border States representatives and other stakeholders was held on Jan. 13, 2006 to discuss International Registration Plan (IRP)- and IFTA-specific issues related to the southern Border States hosting the Mexican motor carrier industry under IRP and IFTA. At the meeting, the representatives agreed to create a Mexican Carrier Training Committee for developing uniform training requirements. The Border States are actively pursuing implementation efforts that ensure compliance with the Plan and consistency in administrative and operational activities.

The first Fit to Drive Congress will take place in Berlin from May 3-5, 2006. Organized by the Association of Technical Inspection Agencies, the congress intends to create a forum at which European development perspectives for the promotion of individual fitness to drive are dealt with. Top experts and representatives from different organizations and EU institutions will speak at the congress. Topics may include primary prevention in pre-school, general prevention through legislation and enforcement and secondary prevention considering the hardcore drinking driver or the risk assessment in medical and psychological issues. More information and an invitation form is available on the event Web site.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), NHTSA has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey (MVOSS) is conducted on a periodic basis for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to obtain a status report on attitudes, knowledge, and behavior related to motor vehicle occupant protection. It is a national telephone survey composed of two questionnaires, each administered to a randomly selected sample of approximately 6,000 persons age 16 and older. One questionnaire focuses on seat belt issues while the other focuses on child restraint use. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on July 11, 2005 (70 FR 39851-39852). Comments must be submitted on or before April 3, 2006. Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: NHTSA Desk Officer. For more information, contact Alan Block at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Research and Technology, at (202) 366-6401.

The Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) Driver Information Sharing ad hoc team is conducting a survey to better understand different stakeholder groups' business needs for information about commercial drivers and to clarify access constraints and need-to-know. Please respond to this survey by March 24. Background information about this survey has been made available on AAMVA’s Web site.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is responding to two petitions for reconsideration of the Oct. 4, 2005 final rule that amended regulations pertaining to the importation by registered importers of motor vehicles that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards. The petitioners contend that certification to the Theft Prevention Standard cannot be accomplished after the original manufacture of a vehicle and object to a provision in the rule that requires registered importers to certify that either the vehicle is not required to comply with the parts marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard or that the vehicle complies with those requirements as manufactured or as modified prior to importation. The agency is denying the petitions. It also denies a petition for an emergency stay by one of the petitioners. For non-legal issues, you may contact Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at (202) 366-3151. For legal issues, you may contact Michael Goode, Office of Chief Counsel, at (202) 366-5263.