AAMVA and IRP, Inc. Offices Close for Holiday 
AAMVA and IRP, Inc. offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19, 2007 in observance of Presidents' Day. Offices will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007 at 8:30 am (EST). The Week in Review will be published early on Friday, Feb. 16 to accommodate the holiday.
Region IV Registration Now Open
AAMVA is holding its
Region IV conference June 25-28, 2007 in Park City, Utah. This year’s conference, themed “Connecting with Great Ideas,” will have a workshop flavor and an agenda full of timely and informative topics. Evening activities, such as the President’s reception at historic Kimball Art Center, and optional events, such as a visit to Olympic Park, will be fun for all. And, from start to finish, dress for the conference will be casual.
Registration and details are now available on AAMVA's Web site.
Legislation Would Delay Real ID Act
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is introducing legislation this week that would delay implementation of the Real ID Act, which was included in the 2005 emergency spending bill (PL 109-13). Collins and other state government officials have described Real ID as an unfunded mandate that will cost states billions. In addition, they may not be able to meet the law's implementation deadline of May 11, 2008. In January, Maine passed a resolution opposing the Real ID Act, and five other states followed suit. Collins’ recent legislation would allow the Department of Homeland Security to delay or waive the requirements for states that are unable to comply with Real ID by the deadline. The bill would extend that deadline until two years after DHS finalizes the regulations. DHS is expected to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking on Real ID by the end of March. For a
press conference on the legislation, see ITAA's Web site.
Move Magazine Wants Your Help!
Move Magazine needs your input for the spring/summer issue. A feature tentatively titled "Academic Institutions: A Resource You Can Afford" will address how motor vehicle agencies can pair with colleges, universities, and other research institutions. In addition, our "At Your Service" web supplement will address how motor vehicle agencies can accomodate overseas military personnel. This can include licensing, vehicle registration, or any other services for troops overseas. If you have experience, leads or information on either of these topics, please contact Lauren DeAngelis at (703) 908-5891 or
ldeangelis@aamva.org as soon as possible.
Move looks forward to hearing from you!
Save the Date for the Clean Air Conference
The 23rd Annual Clean Air Conference will be held Sept. 24-27, 2007 in Breckenridge, Colorado. Visit the NCVECS Web site for
updated conference and registration information. Feedback on ideas, topics and speakers for the conference should go to
NCVECS@colostate.edu.
New Report Calls for Review of Nation's Outdoor Advertising Policies
A federal report released today said policies governing outdoor advertising along interstates should be updated to reflect advances in billboard technology, and addressed other controversial aspects of the Federal Outdoor Advertising Control Program. The report concluded that many challenges can be overcome through better cooperation among the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), state governments, the outdoor advertising industry and other stakeholders. The U.S. Institute, a program of the Morris K. Udall Foundation, an independent federal agency, received funding to develop the report from the FHWA. The report concluded that more work is needed to resolve issues related to billboard technology, placement of billboards, inconsistencies in enforcement and other issues. It also suggested a pilot program to study changes in outdoor advertising control regulations. The report, based on a neutral assessment of the nation's outdoor advertising controls, addresses difficulties in reconciling the advertising industry's use of new technology with potential risks to driver safety caused by digital billboards which, like large flat-screen televisions, make customized messages for passing motorists possible.
Copies of the report are available online at FHWA's Web site or by request through the U.S. Institute at
brooks@ecr.gov.
Don't Miss These AAMVA University Courses
Take your training to a higher level! Sign-up today for a course with AAMVA University. Following are upcoming courses to be held in Arlington, Virginia. For personalized training onsite in your state, contact (866) 908-8270. Visit
www.aamva-u.org for course details or to register online!
NEW CLASS! Fraudulent Document Recognition (FDR) FDR Level II: March 5-8, 2007 (4
day
s/includes Levels I & II); $650;
cut-off Feb. 16
FDR Instructor Certification: April 16-20 (5 days); $750; cut-off March 30 (prerequisite: FDR Level II course)
Vehicle Document Examiner Certification (VDEC)
VDEC Instructor Certification: March 26-29 (4 days); $650 per person; cut-off March 9 (prerequisite: VDEC 2-day course)
Working With Customers (WWC)
WWC Instructor Course: April 2-5 (4 days); $650 per person; cut-off March 16
FMCSA Announces Safety Data Improvement Grant Funding
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces that it has published an opportunity to apply for
FY 2007 Safety Data Improvement Program Grant Opportunity funding on the grants.gov Web site. Section 4128 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) supports a discretionary grant program that provides funding for states to improve the quality of crash and inspection truck and bus data reported by the states to FMCSA, as defined in Section 31102 of Title 49, U.S. Code. Eligible awardees can include a state agency located in one of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To apply for funding, applicants must be
registered with grants.gov. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for Safety Data Improvement Program is 20.234. FMCSA will initially consider funding for applications submitted by March 31, 2007, by qualified applicants.
NHTSA Requests Comments on Amendements to Highway Safety Program Guidelines
Section 402 of title 23 of the U.S. Code requires the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate uniform guidelines for state highway safety programs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking comments on
proposed amendments to six of the existing guidelines and one new guideline to reflect program methodology and approaches that have proven to be successful and are based on sound science and program administration. The guidelines the agency proposes to revise are as follows: Guideline No. 4 Driver Education; Guideline No. 5 Non-Commercial Driver Licensing (formerly Driver Licensing); Guideline No. 7 Judicial and Court Services (formerly Traffic Courts); Guideline No. 10 Traffic Records; Guideline No. 17 Pupil Transportation Safety; and Guideline No. 21 Roadway Safety. This notice also proposes a new guideline, Guideline No. 12 Prosecutor Training and Outreach. You should submit your comments early enough to ensure that Docket Management receives them no later than 30 days after publication in the
Federal Register. You may submit comments in writing to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, or electronically at
http://dms.dot.gov. Please also send a copy of your comments to AAMVA's Kevin Lewis at
klewis@aamva.org or Selden Fritschener at
sfritschener@aamva.org.
NHTSA Administrator Wants to Make Child Safety Seats Easier to Install
The nation’s top highway safety officer has called on manufacturers, retailers, researchers and consumer groups to improve the use and safety of child car seats and the special anchors used to attach them to vehicles. The request comes in light of new evidence indicating parents are often unsure of the best way to install the life-saving devices. National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator (NHTSA) Nicole R. Nason, joined by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Maria Cino, issued the challenge at the opening of a day-long summit with industry leaders and consumer advocates aimed at improving child car seat safety. In December, Nason called for the summit after a new survey conducted by NHTSA found that many parents were unaware of either the existence or the importance of a new system of anchors built into newer vehicles, and specifically designed to hold and anchor car seats. The summit focused on how to increase the correct use of these so-called Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) systems, which come standard in vehicles made after 2002.
AAMVA Provides Real ID Legislation Updates
AAMVA is pleased to provide a list of Real ID legislation that is affecting the states on a weekly basis. This
comprehensive status report will be listed on the Real ID section of the AAMVA Web site and will be updated each week. Please note that while this report provides a weekly glimpse of Real ID legislation affecting the states, a daily listing of all legislation affecting the states is maintained in the
State Legislative Action Center. The list of legislation is updated regularly, and the action center further allows for refinement of searches by year, stage of legislation, or other delineating factors you choose. Any questions or concerns regarding the action center can be directed to AAMVA’s Manager of State Government Affairs, Cian Cashin, at
ccashin@aamva.org. This function is extremely useful in tracking the progress and development of legislation regarding Real ID or any other issue your agency is addressing. Please note that for legal purposes, you must first sign in to the State Legislative Action Center with your AAMVA user ID and password. Once you have logged in to the AAMVA site, information for accessing the database is provided in the blue box at the bottom of the page.
GDL Symposium Held in Arizona
A symposium called "Novice Teen Driving: GDL and Beyond" was held in Tucson, Arizona on Feb. 5-7, 2007. Organized by key federal agencies and other safety advocates, the symposium aimed to establish a vision for policy and practices to improve teen driving and current GDL (Graduated Driver's License) systems. The symposium presented significant research that has been conducted on programs to reduce risk to teen drivers. Of the 120 participants, over 20 represented AAMVA jurisdictional agencies. AAMVA also coordinated a session to highlight innovations underway by DMVs, DOTs, law enforcement and other statewide practitioners. The information presented and follow-up efforts will assist jurisdictions in implementing additional GDL components that are proven to reduce teen crashes and fatalities.
FHWA Posts Highway Safety Improvement Program Reports
In accordance with 23 U.S.C. 148, as amended by section 1401 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), states are required to submit reports describing at least 5 percent of their public road locations exhibiting the most severe safety needs. In addition, these reports shall be made available to the public through the Department of Transportation’s Web site. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this notice to advise the public that the
reports submitted by the states are now available on the FHWA Web site. Fore more information, contact George E. Rice, Jr., Office of Safety Design, at (202) 366-9064, Kenneth Epstein, Office of Safety Programs, at (202) 366-2157, or Raymond Cuprill, Office of the Chief Counsel, at (202) 366-0971.
FMCSA Offers Grant Funds for CVISN
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces the availability of
Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) grant funding as authorized by Section 4126 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). This is a discretionary grant program that provides funding for states to deploy, operate, and maintain elements of their CVISN program, including commercial vehicle, commercial driver, and carrier-specific information systems and networks. The agency in each state designated as the primary agency responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the CVISN-related systems is eligible to apply for grant funding. To apply for funding, applicants must
register with the grants.gov Web site and submit an application in accordance with instructions provided.
Dispelling Myths About Safety Belt Usage For Truck Drivers
On average, nearly 700 truck drivers are killed in traffic crashes in the United States each year. This tragic statistic is made worse by the fact that, on average, only 50 percent of professional truck drivers wear their safety belts. This compares to 82 percent of passenger vehicle drivers. In an attempt to identify the reasons for such a wide variance in this statistic, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has compiled the answers to a list of common myths held by professional drivers. But first, here is something that is no myth: it’s the law; federal regulations require commercial vehicle drivers to buckle up. Take the truckers’ safety belt test. All questions are true or false. To obtain more information on safety belt use, including free driver outreach materials, visit the FMCSA Safety Belt Partnership Web page or contact Janet Kumer, Safety Belt Program Manager at janet.kumer@dot.gov.
TSA Publishes Corrections to Final Rule on TWIC
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has published
corrections to the final rule published in the
Federal Register on Jan. 25, 2007. That rule requires credentialed merchant mariners and workers with unescorted access to secure areas of vessels and facilities to undergo a security threat assessment and receive a biometric credential, known as a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). This rule correction revises a paragraph of the appeal and waiver process in part 1515. In addition, this rule correction redesignates a paragraph in part 1540 under the procedures for security threat assessment and revises text in part 1572 concerning the list of disqualifying offenses. These revisions are necessary to correct typographical errors and in one instance, to remove a word from a definition as mandated by recent legislative action. The corrections are effective March 26, 2007.
FMCSA Proposes to Amend Regulations on Brokers of Household Goods
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposes to
amend its regulations to require brokers who arrange the transportation of household goods in interstate or foreign commerce for consumers to comply with additional consumer protection requirements. This rulemaking is in response to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and a petition for rulemaking from the American Moving and Storage Association. This rulemaking is intended to educate and inform consumers and brokers about fair and competitive business practices proposed by the FMCSA. FMCSA must receive your comments by May 9, 2007. You may submit comments, identified by DOT DMS Docket Number FMCSA-2004-17008, via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
http://www.regulations.gov or the Agency Web Site at
http://dms.dot.gov.
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