U.S. Department of Transportation
2003 Budget in Brief

 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Overview: The number of large trucks traveling the Nation’s highways increased an average rate of 4 percent per year from 1995 to 2000. Every week in 2000, an estimated 100 Americans were killed and 2,700 were injured in traffic crashes involving large trucks --12 percent of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes. Yet trucks represent only 4 percent of all registered vehicles and about 7 percent of vehicle-miles of travel. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) main function is to improve the safety among commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). The 2003 budget request for FMCSA--totaling $371 million, 8 percent above 2002--will help meet this challenge.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Budget
(Dollars In Millions)

1/ Includes estimated accrual payments of $3 million in FY 2001 and $3 million in FY 2002 for civil service retirement and health benefits.

FY 2003 Budget

Motor Carrier Safety (Operations and Research): $120 million, 6 percent above 2002, is requested to support critical motor carrier safety activities that will save lives and prevent injuries on our Nation’s highways. The FY 2003 budget proposes funding for the following safety program activities:

• $95 million for motor carrier safety operations to further increase motor carrier inspections and compliance reviews under FMCSA’s national safety enforcement program.

• $15 million to advance the motor carrier crash data improvement program, the commercial driver’s license improvement program, and staff FMCSA’s 24-hour safety telephone hotline.

• $7 million for motor carrier safety research and technology--$3 million above 2002--for research and technology activities aimed at reducing crashes involving large trucks and buses.

• $3 million to expedite Federal oversight activities and carry out follow-up compliance reviews of motor carriers with unsatisfactory safety ratings.

National Motor Carrier Safety Program: The budget includes $190 million to continue aggressive State enforcement of interstate commercial motor vehicle regulations.

• $165 million is dedicated to Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) State grants. These grants will be used to increase the number of compliance reviews in States; identify and apprehend traffic violators; increase the volume of roadside inspections; improve State commercial driver’s license oversight activities; and support Sate enforcement efforts at the southern border.

• $5 million to continue a comprehensive study on commercial vehicle crash causation initiated in 2001. The study will identify data requirements and collection procedures, reports and other measures that will improve both FMCSA’s and the States’ ability to evaluate future crashes involving commercial motor vehicles; monitor crash trends, and identify causes and contributing factors; and develop effective safety improvement policies and programs.

• $20 million is included for the Information Systems and Strategic Safety Initiatives program. The program’s implementation is shared by FMCSA and the States, and supports motor carrier information system and data analysis activities including: SAFESTAT technology, used to target high-risk motor carriers for compliance reviews; and the Performance Registration Management Information System program, which links State motor vehicle registration systems with carrier safety data in an effort to identify unsafe commercial motor carriers.

Border Enforcement: The budget would provide $116 million to improve safety enforcement operations and construct inspection facilities along the Southern border, including:

• $61 million for the Border Enforcement Program. Funds will be used to maintain a strong Federal and State safety enforcement presence at the U.S./Mexico border to ensure Mexican trucks entering the United States are in compliance with both Federal Motor Carrier Safety and Hazardous Materials regulations. The program will support comprehensive Federal and State inspections of Mexican trucks at the border, to ensure no compromise to motor carrier safety as the Administration maintains its commitment to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

• $47 million for Border Infrastructure Improvements. This funding will be provided within the Federal Highway Administration’s Borders and Corridors Program for inspection facility construction at the U.S./Mexico border.

• $8 million to improve State safety enforcement operations. MCSAP grants will be provided to assist States in funding inspection personnel.

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Last Updated: February 4, 2002