Public Meeting on Safety Standards for School Bus Passenger Protection 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is having a public meeting to bring together a roundtable of state and local government policymakers, school bus and seat manufacturers, pupil transportation associations, and public interest groups to discuss the issue of seat belts on large school buses. The discussion on how best to provide safety during a crash, by compartmentalization or through the use of seat belts, has been ongoing for many years. This public meeting is an opportunity for an exchange among interested parties, as well as the public, on the safety, policy and economic issues related to the use of seat belts on school buses. The date, time, location, and framework for this public meeting are announced in this notice. The public meeting will be held on July 11, 2007, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L’Enfant Plaza, SW., Washington, DC. Written comments may be submitted to the agency and must be received
no later than Sept. 10, 2007. More details are available in the June 4, 2007
Federal Register Notice.
Bush Urges Passage of Immigration Reform Bill
Prior to his departure for a week of meetings in Europe, President Bush urged lawmakers to pass the immigration reform bill. The bill would increase border security, create a new temporary guest worker program and allow some 12 million immigrants now living in the United States illegally to obtain legal status and work toward citizenship. The guest worker program is expected to remain as one of the biggest hurdles with stiff opposition from Republicans. Business and organized labor also have problems with it, calling the program "unworkable." The program as written now would allow guest workers to qualify for two-year visas, renewable twice, provided that they return home for a year between each visa.
Amendment to Social Security Act Introduced
On May 23, 2007, Rep. John R. Carter (Texas) introduced
H.R.2455 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to prohibit the sale, purchase, and display to the general public of the Social Security account number. The bill was refferred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Bipartisan Immigration Reform Bill Has Strong New Safeguards Against Hiring Illegal Workers
The White House released a fact sheet last week entitled "Holding Employers Accountable for the Workers They Hire." The fact sheet highlighted
three amendments on the immigration reform bill that relate directly to Real ID. Among other things, the White House states that an Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification System (EEVS) will be set up to help employers verify the status of the workers they hire. EEVS will allow employers to access identification photographs in government databases to verify the authenticity of workers' documents. In addition to the checks against Social Security Administration (SSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases now performed under Basic Pilot, EEVS will link to the U.S. Department of State and Departments of Motor Vehicles in individuals states to confirm issuance of identity documents and provide employers with the digital photograph associated with these documents. View the
fact sheet on the White House Web site for more details.
FMCSA Request for Comments on Driver Qualifications Files ICR
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval and invites public comment. The FMCSA requests approval to revise an ICR entitled, “Driver Qualification Files,” which is used to promote safety in the operations of motor carriers of property and passengers by promoting the hiring and retention of responsible drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). Comments must be submitted on or before July 23, 2007. View the
Federal Register Notice for more details.
FMCSA Report on Unit Costs of Medium and Heavy Truck Crashes
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has published a final report entitled
"Unit Costs of Medium/Heavy Truck Crashes," completed by Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), that provides the latest estimates of unit costs for highway crashes involving medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Based on the latest data available, the estimated cost of police-reported crashes involving trucks with a gross weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds averaged $91,112 (in 2005 dollars). Crashes in which truck-tractors with two or three trailers were involved were the rarest, but their cost was the highest -- $289,549 per crash. The costs per nonfatal injury crash averaged $195,258, and fatal crashes cost more than any other crashes -- at $3,604,518 per crash.
Safety analysts use crash cost data for a variety of purposes, from analyzing the effectiveness of a particular roadway enhancement to measuring the impact of seatbelt use. Crash costs also are used to calculate and compare the cost-effectiveness of proposed safety regulations. A copy of the complete study can be found on the AAMVA Web site under the MCS Discipline section at
www.aamva.org.
GAO Reports on Unified Carrier Registration Fee System
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently submitted a report to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development, and Related Agencies regarding the progress made in implementing the unified carrier fee system and any implications resulting from the status of its implementation.
In the report, the GAO noted that while progress has been made, implementation delays may hinder states’ ability to regulate commercial motor vehicles. The GAO reported that the UCR Board of Directors and FMCSA have taken a number of steps to implement the unified carrier fee system; however, certain key steps remain incomplete and a specific date for implementation is not yet clear. The time taken for start-up actions, such as appointing board members and recommending a new fee structure, left insufficient time to implement the unified carrier fee system on time. In addition, unresolved issues over key elements of the board’s recommended fee structure and the time required to publish the proposed fees and issue final rules could cause further delays. These delays have hindered some participating states’ ability to acquire revenues and thus, regulate motor carriers, and improve the quality of safety programs. According to state officials, further delay could jeopardize safety programs in some states.
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Posted for UCR Fees
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has posted a revised Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) fees in the
Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 107, June 5, 2007, Docket No. FMCSA-2007-27871. There is a short comment period with
all comments due on or before June 13, 2007. The NPRM can be found under the MCS Discipline section. If you need additional information on the UCR, contact Tim Adams at (502) 845-0398 or
via e-mail. More information is also available in the May 29, 2007
Federal Register Notice.
Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors Meeting
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), has announce a Unified Carrier Registration Plan (UCR) Board of Directors Meeting to take place on June 11, 2007, 1 to 5pm and June 12, 2007, 8am to 12pm, (ET). This meeting is open to the public and will take place at the Hilton Indianapolis, located at 120 West Market Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204. At the meeting, the UCR Board of Directors will continue its work in developing and implementing the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement and to that end, may consider matters properly before the Board. For further information, contact Avelino Gutierrez, Chair, Unified Carrier Registration Board of Directors, at (505) 827-4565.
GAO Reports on DHS Privacy Office
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Privacy Office has made progress, but notes that challenges remain in notifying and reporting to the public. The DHS Privacy Office was established with the appointment of the first Chief Privacy Officer in April 2003, as required by the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The Privacy Office’s major responsibilities include: (1) reviewing and approving privacy impact assessments (PIA)—analyses of how personal information is managed in a federal system, (2) integrating privacy considerations into DHS decision making, (3) ensuring compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974, and (4) preparing and issuing annual reports and reports on key privacy concerns. GAO recommends that the Secretary of Homeland Security take several actions including appointing privacy officers in key DHS components, implementing a process for reviewing Privacy Act notices, and establishing a schedule for timely issuance of Privacy Office reports. View the
entire report on the GAO Web site.
RFI for Training Certification for Entry-Level CMV Operators
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is requesting approval for an Information Collection Request (ICR) entitled “Training Certification for Entry-Level Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators.” The ICR relates to the training requirements for drivers applying for a commercial driver's license. Comments must be received on or before July 23, 2007. View the
Federal Register Notice for further details.
NHTSA Issues Final Rule on Reporting of Early Warning Information
The National Highway Traffice Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a rule that amends certain provisions of the early warning reporting rule published pursuant to the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act. The amendments modify and clarify some of the manufacturers’ reporting requirements under the rule. The rule identifies a subclass of field reports referred to as product evaluation reports and eliminates the requirement that manufacturers submit copies of them to the agency, revises the definition of fire, and limits the time period for required updates to a few data elements in reports of deaths and injuries. The effective date of this final rule is June 28, 2007, except for the amended definition of fire in 49 CFR 579.4(c). The effective date of the amended definition of fire in 49 CFR 579.4(c) is for the reporting period beginning on Jan. 1, 2008. Petitions for reconsideration of the final rule must be received no later than July 13, 2007. More details are available in the May 29, 2007
Federal Register Notice.
SAFETEA-LU High Occupancy Vehicle Facilities Exemption Rule Proposed
The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which was signed into law on Aug. 10, 2005, contains provisions that apply to state High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) facilities. Among other exceptions, SAFETEA-LU Section 1121, which is codified as 23 U.S.C. 166 now allows an exemption from the HOV facility occupancy requirement for vehicles certified as “low emission and energy-efficient.”
As directed by the 2005 Transportation Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue regulations for certifying vehicles as “low emission and energy-efficient.” Specifically, this action proposes the requirements for “low emission and energy-efficient," including procedures for making fuel economy comparisons and the requirements for labeling these vehicles.
As the Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for the planning and implementation of HOV programs, any changes to HOV programs as a result of this action would also be implemented by DOT and enforced by the individual states that choose to adopt these requirements. As directed by the 2005 Transportation Act, the HOV multiple-occupancy exemption for low emission and energy-efficient vehicle expires Sept. 30, 2009. Comments on this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking must be submitted on or before July 9, 2007. A public hearing will be held on June 8, 2007. Requests to present oral testimony must be received on or before June 1, 2007. If EPA receives no requests to present oral testimony by this date, the hearing will be canceled. View the
Federal Register Notice for more information.
AAMVA Seeks Information on How Jurisdictions Handle CDL Holders Cited for BAC
Jurisdictions have differing processes for dealing with commercial drivers cited for having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than .04 while driving a commercial motor vehicle. In the upcoming Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) Modernization project, AAMVA wants to ensure it accurately captures the data necessary for all jurisdiction requirements. To help with this effort,
please respond to the survey titled "Citation of CDL Holder for BAC > .04 in CMV."
DOJ Asks States to Respond to NMVTIS Survey
DOJ recently sent a letter to the chief motor vehicle administrator in each non-participating NMVTIS state to request they complete a survey regarding potential participation in the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). A copy of the letter was also sent to each state’s chief law enforcement contact and chief information officer. Specifically, DOJ would like to know whether a state has plans to implement NMVTIS, what the timeframe may be to implement, and specifically, what type of assistance would be helpful to the state in order to complete implementation. The survey may be completed either in hard copy, as provided, or online using AAMVA's
online survey tool.
Chief motor vehicle administrators – please complete the survey by Monday, June 25, 2007. The information provided in the survey will be very valuable to DOJ and AAMVA in order to plan support for states.
Lucinda Babers Takes a Ride on Boulevard 27, Highlights Region I Conference
Recently, Region I President Lucinda Babers sat down with AAMVA's Jason D. King to discuss some of the energizing and eye-opening sessions she has planned for this year's Region I Conference in Washington, D.C. Listen to their discussion at
http://pod.aamva.org/.
Search Is on for Driver Fitness Director
AAMVA is actively seeking a qualified individual to fill the Director of Driver Fitness position within the Programs Division. This position is responsible for the development, coordination, monitoring and disseminating of information in the following areas: Younger Driver, Older Driver, Driver Fitness, Driver Improvement, Graduated Driver's License, and Financial Responsibility and Insurance. Additional responsibilities include serving as staff liaison to committees, subcommittees and working groups in these areas as well as serving as the staff liaison to the Financial Responsibility and Insurance (FR&I) discipline. A
job description and
submission guidelines are available on AAMVA's Web site. More details are also available in the
job advertisement.
Share Information with Other Jurisdictions.
If you haven’t already done so, please respond to the following surveys.
Who's Next on the CarTalk/PBS Bus?
Last week the networks announced their slate of shows for the fall/spring 2007-2008 season. And CarTalk is on the slate for PBS! AAMVA, CarTalk and PBS want you riding with us into primetime. Interested? Want to know more? Contact AAMVA's
Jason D. King to learn how you and your jurisdiction can hitch a ride with NPR's "Click and Clack" into primetime. It costs you nothing, and provides you with a humorous way to communicate your messages to your customers.
Application Period Open for New Standing Committee Volunteers
AAMVA is seeking volunteers to serve on the AAMVA standing committees for terms beginning Fall 2007 (committee terms are 2 years). If you're interested in submitting your name for consideration, complete the
Committee Volunteer form located on the AAMVA web page.
By submitting your name, it is implied you have received approval from your organization/administrator to participate in AAMVA meetings, workshops, working groups, etc. Travel may (or may not) be required as part of your participation. In some cases, travel expenses may not be reimbursable by AAMVA. Return completed forms by
COB, June 15 to AAMVA’s Jim Magruder via
e-mail or fax at (703) 908-2851.
Enhance your Job Skills with AAMVA University
Take your training to a higher level; sign up today for a course with AAMVA University. AAMVA University can also provide training at your jurisdiction's facility. Visit
www.aamva-u.org for details or to register online, or call (866) 908-8270.
Check out these upcoming classes in Arlington, VA:
- FDR Level II Course: July 9-12, 2007; cut-off June 22
- FDR Instructor Certification Course: Aug. 13-17, 2007; cut-off July 27 (prerequisite: FDR Level II Course)
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