Stronger Enforcement Would Help Improve Motor Carrier Safety

GAO reviewed the motor safety enforcement program carried out by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHwA) Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety (BMCS), focusing on the extent of BMCS oversight of such activities as: (1) the selection of motor carriers and shippers for safety audits; (2) assessment of motor carriers' and shippers' safety compliance; (3) the correction of deficiencies identified by safety audits; and (4) a new program to provide grants for state safety enforcement activities.

GAO found that: (1) while BMCS provides safety investigators with a carrier audit selection priority list, it does not require them to use it; (2) the priority list allows deviations for third-party complaints, accidents involving carriers not on the list, or other unusual circumstances; (3) BMCS regional offices use different criteria and judgment in selecting carriers for audit; and (4) BMCS has not established a similar priority list for shippers. GAO also found that: (1) there was a wide variance among the overall safety ratings recommended by BMCS investigators; (2) while investigators may be preparing ratings in accordance with the established criteria, BMCS has not analyzed the reasons for the differences; (3) there was a wide variance among actions taken by investigators after audits that resulted in unsatisfactory ratings; (4) BMCS regional offices do not always comply with processing standards to ensure timely processing of enforcement cases; (5) BMCS does not have criteria for ensuring that assessed fines are consistent with the severity of violations found; (6) BMCS and FHwA do not always adequately document justifications for assessed fines; and (7) BMCS organizational structure hampers the effective and uniform implementation of the safety program. In addition, GAO found that, for the grant program, BMCS has not: (1) developed clear program goals; (2) defined federal and state roles and responsibilities; (3) established program information needs; or (4) developed program evaluation mechanisms.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Kenneth M. Mead Team: General Accounting Office: Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division Phone: (202) 512-2834