Purpose of this Policy Document

The primary mission of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. The Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) is a key partnership in this effort. MCSAP provides financial assistance to States to reduce the number and severity of crashes, and resulting injuries and fatalities, involving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) and to promote the safe transportation of passengers and hazardous materials. The goal of MCSAP is to reduce CMV-involved crashes, fatalities, and injuries through consistent, uniform, and effective CMV safety programs that include driver or vehicle inspections, traffic enforcement, carrier investigations, new entrant safety audits, border enforcement, safety data improvements, and Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM). Working together, Federal and State partners increase the breadth and reach of our CMV safety programs, increasing the Partnership’s capacity and amplifying its impact nationwide.

In addition to MCSAP, FMCSA’s High Priority (HP) Grant Program funds State and local agencies, educational, research, and other non-governmental partners to deliver CMV-focused safety programs, research, and technologies. Our goal is to increase the number and quality of HP grant applicants year over year to ensure that FMCSA is leveraging all available expertise to move us closer to our goal of reducing roadway fatalities.

This MCSAP Comprehensive Policy (MCP) is a combined information resource, providing program policy, guidance, and technical assistance. It includes FMCSA’s goals, objectives, national program elements, and strategies to meet the Nation’s most urgent commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety needs. Whether you are a MCSAP lead agency that has been receiving MCSAP funding for years or an education institution applying for an HP grant for the first time, this resource will guide you to completing your grant application. We also encourage you to refer to the resources mentioned in this policy document.

The MCP reinforces that CMV safety is a shared responsibility. Together, we will shape and deliver safety programs to reduce crashes and save lives.

Thank you for your commitment to this important safety mission.