The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has invited public comments on its long-term strategy and performance planning process and goals.

The 1999 Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act requires the development of a long-term strategy for improving commercial motor vehicle, driver, and carrier safety. An annual plan and schedule must include, at minimum, the following goals:
* Reducing the number and rates of crashes, injuries and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles.
* Improving the consistency and effectiveness of commercial motor vehicle, operator and carrier enforcement and compliance programs.
* Identifying and targeting enforcement efforts at high-risk commercial motor vehicles, operators and carriers.
* Improving research efforts to enhance and promote commercial motor vehicle, operator and carrier safety and performance.
In 1999, DOT established a goal to reduce large truck-related fatalities by 50% by the end of fiscal year 2009. FMCSA will now develop a long-term plan for 2001 through 2010, including agency goals, strategies, measures and resources. The plan will be submitted to Congress by the end of this year.
As soon as possible, FMCSA will submit a series of project “deliverables” on the public docket and Internet for public review. These will include an assessment of truck and bus-related crash problems, a statement of the FMCSA mission and goals, a series of papers on trends impacting truck and bus safety, and a series of issues papers outlining the key commercial vehicle safety challenges and potential solutions, a discussion of current and future FMCSA resources, and a program performance model including an outcome monitoring and evaluation plan.
A more detailed description of the planning process FMCSA will use is available at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sap/stratplan.htm. Comments on the ways FMCSA might achieve its stated goals or on the planning process itself can be submitted electronically at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit. Refer to docket number FMCSA 2000-7645. Comments are due Dec. 15, 2000.