In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some commercial motor vehicle regulations in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. were temporarily relaxed to reduce restrictions that may limit motor carriers from promptly providing much-needed products and services to assist with emergency relief efforts. Subsequently, many states, provinces and territories issued a variety of emergency measures specific to their jurisdictions. With numerous temporary actions in place, there was a need for a central repository containing active emergency declaration information.
To address this need, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) obtained High Priority Grant funding from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and partnered with Seikosoft, a contracted software company, to develop an online repository for current emergency declarations, waivers, amendments, extensions, exemptions, executive orders, etc., that the commercial motor vehicle enforcement community and the motor carrier industry may reference at any time.
Each jurisdiction (and some relevant agencies and organizations) is responsible for updating its emergency declaration information through the secure online portal, ensuring the information contained on the website is timely and accurate. At roadside, officers or inspectors can quickly verify a declaration internationally, nationally, or at a state, provincial or territorial level by visiting CVSA’s new webpage. The public may also view emergency declaration information at any time. The information on the website is unrestricted and open to everyone. In addition, motor carriers and drivers can download and print documents from the website to carry with them in the truck.
Going forward, through this website, law enforcement officials, inspectors, industry and the public will have a permanent, reliable “one-stop shop” for emergency information, resulting in improved movement of critical relief supplies during national, regional and local emergencies.
The Alliance’s goal in creating this website was to support commercial motor vehicle safety enforcement personnel, the greater law enforcement community, the motor carrier industry and professional drivers during emergencies – ranging from a seasonal weather event to something as unique as the current unprecedented pandemic.