CAP I TOL CORNE R


UDOT’S MOTOR CARRIER DIVISION


BY STEVEGOODRICH Contributing Writer


The Utah Department of


Transportation’s Motor Carrier Division is charged with working with the state’s com- mercial motor vehicle industry from the single owner operator to the largest fleet and from passenger carriers to tow trucks. The Division includes the eight ports of entry operations in the State and the Salt Lake office that includes a team of safety investigators, superload team, tow truck, pilot escort, and customer service func- tions. The motor carrier division’s mission is


“to enhance safety, protect and preserve Utah’s infrastructure, and facilitate com- merce.” In other words to keep you, your drivers and your families safe every day, to enforce size and weight restrictions and to keep safe, legal trucks moving as they con- tribute to our state’s economy. In order to accomplish this mission, the


division partners with the Utah Trucking Association (UTA), the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA) to emphasize safety on Utah’s highways. While the fatality rate has decreased in


Utah over the last three years, across the country, more people are dying as a result of truck related crashes. So, we must be ever vigilant in all our efforts to keep this rate moving toward zero. One tool the Division has to aid in


reducing crashes and fatalities is the Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP) that is written and updated in July of each year. The CVSP examines commercial vehi- cle crashes on Utah’s highways, the reasons for those crashes and methods for reducing fatalities. The CVSP is a public document


www.utahtrucking.com


and can be found at www.udot.utah.gov under the Motor Carrier tab, then going to the Safety and Compliance page. In partnership with the Utah Highway


Patrol, the CVSP outlines various safety activities to be accomplished during the year. These commitments include involve- ment with passenger carriers, hazmat car- riers, carriers with high CSA BASIC’s scores, roadside inspections, traffic enforcement (for both CMV’s and the gen- eral public) and public education and out- reach, including the “Truck Smart” and “Drive to Stay Alive” campaigns. The current CVSP identifies driver (both


CMV and personal vehicle) behaviors that contribute most to CMV related highway


deaths. Those behaviors are speed, follow- ing too close, improper lane changes, and improper lane travel. The CVSP also identi- fies the top areas where CMV’s are more likely to be involved in a crash. The five top areas identified are all along the Wasatch Front from Provo to Ogden. These behaviors and crash areas are


what drive much of the Divisions outreach and education efforts. In subsequent issues, we will partner with you to provide safety information to make sure you, your drivers, and your families all return safely from every trip you take. UT


Steve Goodrich is UDOT’s Federal Grant Manager and Hearing Officer.


UTAH TRUCKING ~ Issue 1, 2013 23


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