Inside This Issue...

The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance announced the availability of grants for states to develop the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).  Mandated under the Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992, NMVTIS was designed to allow the titling agency to instantly and reliably verify the information on the paper title with the electronic data from the state that issued the title. In addition, the system provides law enforcement with a tool to assist in reducing auto theft and vehicle title-related crimes. Where implemented, NMVTIS has already produced results, including time and cost savings, reductions in consumer wait time, decreases in motor vehicle thefts, improved recovery rate of stolen vehicles, increased ability to identify cloned vehicles prior to title issuance and improved investigative abilities. The goal of this grant initiative is to increase the number of states currently providing data to NMVTIS and to assist states that are currently moving toward a fully online connectivity where data is shared real-time and instant title checks occur before a title is issued. The closing date for applications is Jan. 10, 2008.  Full information on the grant solicitation is available on the grant resource page.

Ranking Minority Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. John L. Mica, recognized AAMVA's 75th anniversary before the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Dec. 19. Mica stated that AAMVA has been the recognized North American authority for driver licensing and motor vehicle administration. AAMVA's U.S. and Canadian members have worked collaboratively to support and improve motor vehicle administration, safety, identification security and law enforcement. AAMVA has also served as a liaison with other levels of government and the private sector, and its development and research activities have provided guidelines for more effective public service. Mica also noted that AAMVA has fostered a tradition of service in the motor vehicle and law enforcement professions by providing outstanding service to the community through superb customer service initiatives, information technology, safety and the best in public affairs and consumer educational programs throughout North America. Mica closed his remarks stating that he "would like to commend the many achievements of AAMVA and encourage AAMVA to continue its tradition of excellence in service to motorists through its advocacy of improving highway safety." A special section on AAMVA's Web site has been dedicated to AAMVA's 75th anniversary. Sign the guest book today at www.aamva.org/About/GeneralInformation/AAMVA75thAnniversary/.

The Government of Canada has amended its Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations to make it easier for Canadians to import vehicles from the United States built on or after Sept. 1, 2007, that are already equipped with an electronic immobilization system or that can be fitted with one. The amendment will also allow Transport Canada to immediately begin clearing the backlog of cases involving Canadians who recently purchased certain new U.S. models. These vehicles could not be imported because they were not certified by the manufacturer to meet the Canadian standard for anti-theft electronic immobilizers. As of Sept. 1, 2007, the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations require that all new cars, vans, light trucks and SUVs sold in Canada or imported into Canada be equipped with electronic anti-theft immobilizers meeting a defined Canadian standard. Canada requires these systems in response to the public's desire to reduce auto theft and to protect innocent parties from injury and death that can result from car accidents caused by thieves. In addition, the insurance industry has brought forward evidence that mechanical immobilizers can be defeated using simple tools. Electronic anti-theft devices are more secure. The amendment will offer more flexibility to Canadians wishing to import vehicles and will continue efforts to ensure safety on the road. This amendment will modify section 12 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations as it pertains to importing vehicles purchased in the U.S. Final notice of adoption will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on Dec. 26, 2007, at www.canadagazette.gc.ca.

On Dec. 19 the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) posted a request for proposal (RFP) for a company to provide printing services for TA-VT-01 Vermont Certificate of Title. Contracts arising from the RFP will be for a period of 24 months with an option to renew for an additional 12-month period. The proposed start date will be Jan. 1, 2008. Any questions, comments or exceptions must be submitted in writing no later than 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 27, 2007. For more details about the RFP and for contact information, visit www.bgs.sate.vt.us/pca/bids. 

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted a notice announcing that an Information Collection Request (ICR) entitled the "National Survey of Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behavior" has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The survey is conducted on a periodic basis for the NHTSA to obtain a status report on attitudes, knowledge and self-reported behavior related to alcohol-impaired driving. It is a national telephone survey administered to a randomly selected sample of approximately 6,000 persons age 16 and older. Topics covered by the survey include drinking behavior, drinking and driving behavior, avoidance of drinking and driving, use of a designated driver, preventing others from drinking and driving, perceived risks to drinking and driving, perceptions and attitudes about enforcement of drinking and driving laws, knowledge of legal BAC limits, and perceived effectiveness of intervention strategies. The proposed survey is the eighth in the series, which began in 1991. The 2008 survey will repeat many of the questions included in the preceding surveys in order to monitor change over time. The survey will also include new questions that address emergent issues in the area of drinking and driving. The data will be applied to strategic planning to combat the drinking and driving problem, and provide guidance to current programs. View the Federal Register notice for more details.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has posted two Real ID grant opportunities on Grants.gov:

• FY 2008 REAL ID Demonstration Grant Program Modification 3
• FY 2008 REAL ID Vital Events Verification State Project Grant Verification Modification 1

Sign up to receive e-mail alerts when federal grant opportunities become available by going to the Grants.gov Web site.

The Senate will return Jan. 22, a week after the House. Senate leaders decided to push the return date back a week after the White House shifted the date for the State of the Union address to Jan. 28. The House still plans to return Jan. 15 as previously announced. Senate leaders are preparing to schedule a series of pro forma sessions between the end of this year’s business and the start of the second session. The days mapped out for the next round of pro forma sessions are Dec. 22, 26, 28 and 31, and Jan. 3, 7, 9, 11, 15 and 18.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a recommendation to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to require all interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) carriers to use electronic on-board recorders that collect and maintain data concerning driver hours of service in a valid, accurate, and secure manner under all circumstances, including accident conditions, to enable the carriers and their regulators to monitor and assess hours-of-service compliance (H-07-41). As an interim measure and until industry-wide use of electronic on-board recorders is mandated, as recommended in Safety Recommendation H-07-41, NTSB recommends that FMCSA prevent log tampering and submission of false paper logs by requiring motor carriers to create and maintain audit control systems that include, at a minimum, the retention of all original and corrected paper logs and the use of bound and sequentially numbered logs (H-07-42). View the recommendation letter online for more information.

On Dec. 17 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released an updated Conforming Products List (CPL) which was originally published in the Federal Register on June 29, 2006 (71 FR 37159) for instruments that conform to the Model Specifications for Evidential Breath Testing Devices (58 FR 48705). For more details, view the Federal Register notice online.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is requesting comments on an interim final rule (IFR) for Hours of Service for Drivers. FMCSA amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations effective Dec. 27 to allow commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers up to 11 hours of driving time within a 14-hour, non-extendable window from the start of the workday, following 10 consecutive hours off duty (11-hour limit). This interim rule also allows motor carriers and drivers to restart calculations of the weekly on-duty time limits after the driver has at least 34 consecutive hours off duty (34-hour restart). An IFR is necessary to prevent disruption to enforcement and compliance with the hours-of-service (HOS) rules when the stay expires, as well as possible effects on the timely delivery of essential goods and services. This IFR will ensure that a familiar and uniform set of national rules governs motor carrier transportation, while FMCSA gathers public comments on all aspects of this interim final rule, conducts peer review of our analysis and considers the appropriate final rule that addresses the issues identified by the Court. FMCSA is fully committed to issuing a final rule in 2008. This rule is effective Dec. 27, 2007. Comments must be received on or before Feb. 15, 2008. View the Federal Register notice for more details.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a letter to Equity Transportation Company, Inc. to implement a driver log review program that accounts for, tracks, and audits all modifications to paper logs. It also collects and retains all available electronic supporting documentation to verify driver compliance with Federal commercial driver hours-of-service regulations (H-07-43). View the letter online for more information.

On Dec. 13, 2007, the Blufton University Safety Act of 2007 (HR 4690) was introduced into the House. The intention of the bill is to direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue motor vehicle safety standards for motorcoaches, and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for associated expenses incurred by motorcoach operators complying with such standards. The bill was introduced in response to a March 2, 2007 charter bus accident in Atlanta, Georgia involving the baseball team from Ohio's Bluffton University, which resulted in 7 deaths and numerous serious injuries. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that there has been an average of 22.7 occupant-related fatalities per year for the last 10 years. View the entire text of the legislation online.

On Dec. 18, the Bush Administration released a statement on Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 appropriations bill. While the Administration supports the timely completion of the appropriations bill, it is disappointed that Congress was unable to complete the bills individually and on time. The Administration is pleased that the Congress has reduced total regular discretionary funding for FY 2008 from the planned $955 billion to the reasonable and responsible level of $933 billion. While the Congress has also reduced the amount of domestic emergency spending to $5.1 billion, including resources for border security, and $3.7 billion in contingency emergency funding for our Nation’s Veterans, some of the emergency provisions could and should have been funded in the regular budget. The Administration would not support any further additions to domestic spending or policy riders in the bill. In addition, the Administration continues to have concerns with the diversion of billions of dollars in Congressional earmarks from higher domestic priorities. The statement is available for viewing online on the White House Web site.

If you've been reading this blog, you know AAMVA has been requesting assistance to help fund 100 percent state participation in the federally-mandated National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). Read the entire blog online.