GAO Reports on Options for Improving Sustainability and Management of HTF 
On June 26, 2009, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on improving the Highway Trust Fund's (HTF) long-term sustainability and existing mechanismx to manage the account balance. View the GAO report online at
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-845TVice President Biden Applauds States for Meeting Recovery Act Milestone Ahead of Schedule
On June 25, 2009, Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that transportation projects funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are putting people to work and building a foundation for the country’s long-term economic strength. To date, $19 billion has been obligated to fund over 5,300 approved highway and other transportation projects nationwide. States are required under the Recovery Act to obligate 50 percent of their highway funds by June 29, 2009. Working in coordination with the U.S. Department of Transportation, all 55 U.S. states and territories successfully beat this deadline at least 10 days ahead of schedule. Across the country, transportation projects funded by the Recovery Act are coming in under budget and ahead of schedule. Lower than expected bids nationwide are allowing states to stretch taxpayer dollars, complete additional projects and create even more American jobs. ARRA funding for highway projects may be used for restoration, repair, construction, and other activities under the Surface Transportation Program. Each proposed project must be approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Governors must certify that proposed projects meet certain conditions and that the state will use ARRA funds in addition to, not in replacement of, state funding of transportation projects. Priority is given to projects that are projected to be completed within three years, are located in economically distressed areas, or will maximize job creation and economic benefits.
CARS Will Put Safer, Cleaner, More Fuel Efficient Vehicles on Road
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said his department stands ready to implement a new buyer incentive program signed into law today by President Obama which will help consumers pay for new, more fuel efficient vehicles when they trade-in a less fuel efficient car or truck. Under the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), buyers stand to receive up to $4,500 toward the purchase or lease of a new car or truck that meets the necessary criteria. The purchaser does not receive the money directly from DOT. Instead, the dealer reduces the purchase or lease price by the allowed amount, and the government reimburses the dealer for that amount. The incentive program begins within 30 days of today’s bill signing by the President. The final day for an eligible purchase or lease is November 1, 2009, or when DOT exhausts the funds set aside for the program, whichever occurs first. The credit is not retroactive prior to the start of the program and cannot be applied toward the purchase of used vehicles. To achieve the objective of removing older, less efficient vehicles from the roads, vehicles traded under this program will have to be permanently disabled and/or scrapped. CARS will be implemented by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Consumers can learn more about CARS or the gasoline mileage attained by individual vehicles, go to
www.cars.gov or call NHTSA’s Auto Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236). AAMVA has also posted a
legislative alert regarding this program.
House Subcommittee Approves Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill
The House Highways and Transit Subcommittee has approved, by voice vote and without amendment, the 775-page draft surface transportation reauthorization bill released earlier this week by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar. Oberstar would like to have a full committee markup in late July, but that is contingent on a financing and revenue deal being reached with the Ways and Means Committee, the Democratic leadership, and the Obama Administration. More details are available on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Web site.
Results from Roadcheck 2009 Inspection Blitz Released
On June 23, 2009 the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) released a report stating that over 82 percent of commercial vehicles inspected as part of this year’s Roadcheck successfully passed inspection, demonstrating the high level of mechanical fitness of Canada’s truck and bus fleet. The annual roadside safety inspection blitz was conducted across North America June 2-4 by enforcement agencies in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The event is coordinated by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) in partnership with CCMTA member-jurisdictions. Safety inspections of vehicles and drivers are conducted at sites in all Canadian jurisdictions. As part of the event, vehicles not bearing a valid inspection decal are selected at each location and subjected to the most comprehensive and stringent of the CVSA on-road inspection procedures. Over the three-day event, 7,800 vehicles and drivers underwent full inspections for mechanical and driver fitness. Of those, 6,411 vehicles and 7,550 drivers passed CVSA’s rigorous roadside inspection criteria. Inspectors issued 7,806 new decals to individual trucks, trailers and passenger-carrying vehicles across Canada, signifying CVSA’s highest degree of safety and mechanical fitness. In total, 1,353 trucks, 36 passenger-carrying vehicles and 250 drivers were placed out of service for various safety defects and violations. Results from this year’s initiative as well as Roadcheck 2008 and 2007
are available here.
$5.2 Million Available for Innovative Highway Bridge Improvements in 14 States
U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced more than $5.2 million in grants to 14 states to promote the use of innovative technologies in highway bridge construction and repair. The Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment (IBRD) program, administered by the Federal Highway Administration, promotes more widespread use of effective and beneficial technologies and applications that are not common practice and encourages states to use these technologies. Previous grants, for example, have funded bridge prefabrication projects in which parts are built off-site and then placed onto a bridge. Utilizing prefabrication strategies saves drivers countless hours of congestion caused by prolonged bridge work. The program was authorized by the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (SAFETEA-LU) legislation to promote innovative design, materials and methods that improve construction and repair of the nation’s highway bridges.
Feds Release $140 Million to 36 States
On June 24, 2009, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that 36 states were awarded nearly $140 million in additional federal aid to assist 249 transportation improvement projects. Through the “Transportation, Community, and System Preservation” (TCSP) Program, states, local and Tribal governments may apply for federal funding to support methods of increasing transportation efficiency, roadway improvements and research. In the years since the program’s creation in 1998, nearly $800 million in TCSP grants have been awarded to improve national transportation efficiency, reduce environmental impacts of transportation and improve the cost-effectiveness of infrastructure investment. The TCSP Program is managed by the Federal Highway Administration, in conjunction with the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Rail Administration and the Research and Innovative Technology Administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A list of this year’s grant recipients is available online at
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tcsp/projects.html.
Travel Assistance Available for AIC 2009
Due to current economic conditions and the budget situation in many jurisdictions, the AAMVA Board agreed to provide travel assistance to this year's Annual International Conference (AIC) for one jurisdiction representative from each member agency if state/provincial travel funds are not available. Jurisdictional attendees interested in receiving financial assistance to attend the 2009 AIC should complete
this form and return it by e-mail to
dgraham@aamva.org or by fax to (703) 908-5868 no later than July 15, 2009.
Please note that only one person from each jurisdiction is eligible for travel assistance, and assistance is available only to jurisdiction members who have paid their 2009 AAMVA dues. Travel assistance is not available to jurisdictions represented on the AAMVA Board of Directors as AAMVA currently provides travel assistance to Board members. In order to provide travel assistance to as many people as we can, please provide as accurate an estimate of projected travel costs as possible on the form. If your jurisdiction can fund a portion of the cost, AAMVA can use this assistance to cover the rest. In addition to providing funds for one representative to attend the conference, we have lowered our registration fees for the 2009 AIC. This year’s member registration fee is $600 per person—25 percent lower than last year! We encourage you to participate in the timely AIC business sessions and visit the exhibit hall to speak with our many industry partners whose participation makes the AIC a success each year. Please feel free to contact Dianne Graham at
dgraham@aamva.org if you have any questions about this program.
Indiana Becomes First Jurisdiction to Launch NEW Lawful Status Application
On June 25, 2009, Indiana became the first AAMVA U.S. member jurisdiction to take advantage of the association's latest application: Verification of Lawful Status (VLS). Recognized by the federal government for its ability to accurately and instantaneously verify lawful status of driver's license applicants, this application is available to all AAMVA member jurisdictions looking to integrate seamless lawful status verification solutions into their front line business processes. Congratulations to Indiana for a job well done! For more information on how AAMVA can help bring this lawful status application to your jurisdiction, contact
Paul Blanchard at (703) 908-5780.
CDL IT Users Workshop Scheduled
The CDL IT Users Workshop will be held at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas Sept. 29-30, 2009. AAMVA will pay travel, hotel and meals for up to 3 representatives from each U.S. jurisdiction. Registration and program materials are being finalized and should be up on the AAMVA Web site by the end of the week. An announcement will be made once registration and other materials are available for viewing.
FMCSA Corrects Medical Review Board Meeting Notice
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) posted a notice in the June 25, 2009 Federal Register noting two corrections in a June 12, 2009 Federal Register notice announcing the Medical Review Board meeting scheduled for July 1, 2009, 9 a.m.-4:20 p.m. at the U.S. Department of Transportation. The June 12 notice included two incorrect Web sites. The first one is
http://Docketinfo.dot.gov; the correct Web site is
http://www.regulations.gov. The second error was
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mrb; the correct Web site is
http://mrb.fmcsa.dot.gov.
FHWA to Establish System of Records for National Highway Institute
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) intends to establish a system of records under the Privacy Act of 1974 entitled the "National Highway Institute Web site (NHIW) and Course Management and Tracking System (CMTS)." The system will contain information on customers and instructors who use, or contribute, services to the National Highway Institute. The NHIW does not contain any information about individuals, just course and session data that is stored in CMTS. Additional information on this system is described in the
June 24, 2009 Federal Register notice. Effective date of this system is Aug. 3, 2009. If no comments are received, the proposal becomes effective on the above date. If comments are received, the comments will be considered and, where adopted, the documents will be republished with changes.
NHTSA Denies Petition for Rulemaking on Lamps, Reflective Devices
The National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration (NHTSA) has denied a petition for rulemaking submitted by General Motors (GM) on Dec. 20, 2001. GM requested that NHTSA amend the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) on lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment to require the installation of daytime running lamps on passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses that have a gross vehicle weight rating under 4,536 kilograms (10,000 lbs). NHTSA has reviewed the petition and performed an extensive analysis of real world crash data. Based on the results of its study NHTSA was unable to find solid evidence of an overall safety benefit associated with daytime running lamps and is denying the petition for rulemaking. NHTSA maintains its neutral position with respect to the safety benefits from the use of daytime running lamps. More details are available in the
June 29 Federal Register notice.
TSA Publishes Final Rule on False Statements Regarding Security Background Checks
On July 31, 2008, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published an interim rule prohibiting public transportation agencies, railroad carriers and their respective contractors and subcontractors from knowingly misrepresenting federal guidance or regulations concerning security background checks for certain individuals. On June 26, 2009, TSA published the final rule which makes no changes from the interim final rule published on July 31. The final rule is effective June 26, 2009. View the
June 26 Federal Register notice for more details.
Share Your Expertise, Volunteer for AAMVA Committees
Have you thought about further developing your career, and at the same time, sharing your expertise and interest with other professionals in the motor vehicle and law enforcement administration field? You can, by volunteering for one of nine positions currently available in
AAMVA's three committees. Your experience, combined with that of many other AAMVA volunteers will; help advise AAMVA's Board and staff, guide our policies and procedures, and help the association identify products and services that make your jobs easier. More details about the open positions, and about volunteering for AAMVA Committees
are available online. If you want to volunteer, please send your name, organization and contact information for the discipline area (or areas) in which you have an interest, to your AAMVA regional member support director
by July 10, 2009. We will confirm with your organization/ administrator that you are able to participate in AAMVA meetings, workshops, working groups, etc.
Travel may be required as part of your participation. Tell Us How You Really Feel: Announcing the (brief) "MOVE" magazine readership survey
Is the news you're getting from AAMVA the news you want? Maybe? Is the content in AAMVA's flagship publication, MOVE, in the "consumable" format you need to respond to changes in your world that are wrapped inside a 24-hour news cycle? We want to know! To help your association do a better job of bringing you the relevant news you need, please take a few minutes in the next couple of weeks to respond to our upcoming 2009 readership survey. Stay tuned. The survey will go live on the AAMVA Web site next week!
How Much Does it Cost to get a Fraudulent ID in Your Jurisdiction?
AAMVA’s Board of Directors is gathering information about the street value of fraudulent identification documents and the number of document fraud cases in your jursdiction. News stories will occasionally mention a dollar figure that individuals will pay to obtain fraudulent documents, but the amounts vary widely based upon the quality of the documents, source/supplier, and type of document. A survey has been posted online and we'd like to hear from you. Please respond to
this survey by July 21, 2009.
CDLIS Modernization Specifications Version 5.0 Arrives, Supporting Webinars Announced
AAMVA released Version 5.0 of the Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) Modernization Specifications on June 25, 2009. The release 5.0.0 documentation is available on the
CDLIS Documentation page of AAMVA's Web site. To help jurisdictions understand these new specifications, AAMVA will offer a series of webinars beginning in mid-July. These webinars will run through the summer leading up to the September 2009 CDL IT Users Workshop in Ft. Worth, Texas. These one hour webinars will cover a variety of topics: such as, an overview of CDLIS Modernization, architectural impacts, name expansion, backward compatibility, medical certification, Change State of Record (CSOR) processing, Master Pointer Record/Driver History Record (MPR/DHR) data quality clean up and testing. The same topic will be presented twice a day, 11:00 am Eastern and 2:00 pm Eastern, on Wednesdays allowing you to attend when it fits your schedule. A separate communication will be forthcoming outlining the webinar schedule and instructions on how to register. At the CDL IT Users Workshop, AAMVA will wrap up the CDLIS Modernization Specifications in a comprehensive manner to fully explain your new system. For further information, contact Lisa Parman, director, Systems Analysis, at
lparman@aamva.org.
Share Information with Other Jurisdictions
If you haven't already done so, please respond to th
ese survey
s.
Note: All surveys and survey responses can be accessed by going to
www.aamva.org and clicking on "Survey Tool" in the "Quick Links" box on the right side of the screen. A link to the "Survey Tool" is also available in the footer of every page on AAMVA's Web site. If for some reason the link to the survey mentioned above does not open, you can reach the survey through these methods.
AAMVA and IRP, Inc. Offices Close for Independence Day
The AAMVA and IRP, Inc. offices will be closed Friday, July 3, 2009 in observance of the Independence Day Holiday. Offices will reopen for regular business on Monday, July 6th.
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