Dept. of Safety Honored Nationally for Commercial Vehicle Enforcement

NASHVILLE, Tenn., — The Tennessee Department of Safety is one of only four states to receive a first of its kind honor for reducing fatalities and fatal crashes involving commercial vehicles.  The Tennessee Highway Patrol has accepted the inaugural Leadership Award for the Southeast Region from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Department of Safety Commissioner David Mitchell says, “Tennessee is aggressive in addressing road safety issues related to commercial vehicles.  The goal of our efforts is to keep the public safe without hampering the flow of commerce.”

Tennessee was chosen for the honor from among the 13 states in the Southeast. FMCSA presented the award during ceremonies at the 2007 Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.  Other states selected for the Leadership Award were Delaware (Northeast), Michigan (Midwest) and Washington (West).

Award criteria included total roadside inspections conducted under the federal Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP).  States were also evaluated based upon their success at reducing commercial vehicle crashes and fatalities, commercial inspection and enforcement and the timeliness and accuracy of reporting.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Mike Walker says, “Commercial vehicle safety and enforcement are daily concerns for our Troopers.  Each is trained to perform inspections of commercial vehicles, which puts almost 900 sets of eyes on the road, looking for safety hazards or drivers who may not be following the law.  We do everything within our power to make sure commercial and regular drivers share the road safely.”

Last fall, FMCSA praised Tennessee for conducting a statewide inspection event focused on homeland security.  Operation United S.T.O.P. (Strategic Transportation Observation & Prevention) was a day-long, multi-agency effort to inspect commercial vehicles hauling hazardous materials and overseas containers, as well as rental trucks.  During Operation United S.T.O.P., 17 simultaneous Homeland Security Hazardous Materials Checkpoints were held across the state.  FMCSA officials said Tennessee was the first state to attempt an operation of that magnitude in a single day.