[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 130 (Friday, July 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35300-35305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17110]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) Model
Deployment Program
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
ACTION: Request for application (RFA).
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SUMMARY: The FHWA is soliciting applications for the CVISN Model
Deployment Program. CVISN are information systems that support
commercial vehicle operations (CVO). This includes information systems
owned and operated by governments, motor carriers, and other
stakeholders. CVISN is not a new national information system, but
rather a way for existing systems to exchange information through the
use of standards and the United States commercially available
communications infrastructure. CVISN will enable government agencies,
the motor carrier industry, and other parties engaged in commercial
vehicle operations, safety, and regulation to exchange information and
conduct business transactions electronically. The objectives of CVISN
include the following elements:
a. Distribution of safety information to computers at the roadside
to target high risk carriers;
b. Use of license plate reader(s) at roadside to electronically
identify commercial vehicles and carriers to check safety information;
c. Electronic collection of inspection data from the roadside and
uploading to SAFETYNET;
d. Electronic application for credentials by motor carriers;
e. Interfacing of State systems to the International Registration
Plan (IRP) clearinghouse;
f. Interfacing of State systems to the International Fuel Tax
Agreement (IFTA) clearinghouse; and
g. Electronic clearance at fixed and/or mobile sites.
This RFA has been sent to all State agencies that have major
responsibilities for the State transportation system,
[[Page 35301]]
Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP), vehicle registration,
and vehicle fuel tax. The RFA outlines FHWA's plans for model
deployment of CVISN in seven pilot States. A full text of the CVISN RFA
is being provided for responses.
DATES: Applications must be submitted to FHWA on or before July 19,
1996.
ADDRESSES: Submit applications or mail to: Mr. Doug McKelvey, Federal
Highway Administration, Office of Motor Carriers, 400 7th Street, SW.,
HSA-20, Room 3419, Washington, D.C. 20590 or Facsimile to: FHWA CVISN
RFA at (202) 366-7908.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Larry Swartzlander, Office of
Motor Carriers, (202) 366-6066, or Mr. Kenneth Baxter, Office of Motor
Carriers, (202) 366-8957.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
On April 11, 1996, notice of the FHWA intention to solicit
application was published in the Federal Register (61FR16157). Comments
from twenty-two states and two entities were received. The FHWA
received comments from twenty-two States and two private agencies on
the request for information (RFI). Overall, the responders were very
supportive of CVISN and believe it is a worthy endeavor. The major
comments and the FHWA's responses include the following:
1.1.1 All but one commenter agreed with the seven objectives. One
commenter recommended that the hazardous materials transportation
registration and permitting as an optional objective be added and
require one pilot State to test this objective. This objective was not
added because there are already seven objectives, and program funds and
time are limited.
1.1.2 The majority of the States believe the Federal funding over
a two-year period is appropriate to accomplish the seven objectives.
Because of limited funding, it was decided to keep the two-year funding
period.
1.1.3 The commenters offered varying opinions on the 50% minimum
non-Federal cost sharing. FHWA will keep the 50% requirement in order
to comply with the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 1996 to vigorously pursue cost-sharing
opportunities.
1.1.4 Several States were against giving extra credit for States
that provide more than a 50% non-Federal match. This selection criteria
element has been deleted because it would impose a hardship on some
States.
1.1.5 The majority of the responders believe motor carrier support
should be required/encouraged during the model deployment project, but
there should be no required signature from the industry. The FHWA
agreed to require documentation indicating motor carrier support.
1.1.6 The commenters offered varying opinions on the issue of
requiring the governor's signature on the Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA). Four States said the governor's signature should be required
because deploying CVISN will require involvement of numerous State
agencies and the signature will ensure complete allocation of
resources. Other States said the governor's signature should not be
required because every State's administrative requirements are
different, the signature of the head of the State's lead agency should
be sufficient, and requiring the governor's signature could discourage
participation of larger States. It was decided to keep this item
optional and allow each State to decide if they wanted to obtain the
governor's signature.
1.1.7 A few responders recommended that States be allowed to form
CVISN private and/or public partnerships. The FHWA supports this
concept and believes the RFI/RFA acknowledges this concept. Additional
language was added in the RFA to clarify this issue.
1.1.8 A recommendation to delete the requirement for a 20% non-
Federal hard match was supported by the FHWA and the RFA will reflect
this deletion and only specify a 50% non-Federal match.
1.1.9 One commenter suggested deleting the reference to provide
free Carrier Automated Transaction (CAT) software. The commenter
believes the reference to free software would result in government
competing unfairly with private sector participation in CVO deployment.
The FHWA agrees with this request and the RFA has been changed to say
that it is available from commercial sources.
1.1.10 Interoperability with toll systems was also a concern. This
issue is addressed in the RFI/RFA by requiring interoperability with
major CVO clearance programs and encourages interoperability with toll
deployment technology.
Commercial vehicle business practices and systems were originally
designed primarily for intrastate trucking, but several factors have
changed the way CVO business is conducted. These factors include
increased emphasis on safety, improved truck technology, the
construction of the Interstate Highway System, the industry's
deregulation in 1980, and the interstate agreements for registration
and fuel tax being adopted nationwide. The systems supporting CVO
operations have not kept pace. Many of the systems supporting CVO are
manual processes requiring redundant data entry and cannot share
information within and among States and customers. Additionally, State
safety and administrative responsibilities for commercial vehicles are
projected to increase over the next several years and State budgets are
anticipated to remain stable or face reductions. To address these
issues, the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT),
through the FHWA, intends to support model deployment of CVISN in a
number of States. CVISN are information systems that support commercial
vehicle operations. This includes information systems owned and
operated by governments, motor carriers, and other stakeholders. CVISN
is not a new information system, but rather a way for existing systems
to exchange information through the use of standards and the existing
commercially available communications infrastructure. CVISN will enable
government agencies, the motor carrier industry, and other parties
engaged in CVO safety and regulation to exchange information and
conduct business transactions electronically. The purpose of investing
in model deployment of CVISN in States is (1) to facilitate the
development and deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
services that will increase the safety and productivity of CVO; and (2)
to ascertain and educate the general public and key State and industry
decision makers on the costs and benefits of ITS for CVO.
1.2 Description of CVISN Model Deployment Program
The model deployment of CVISN is focused on safety and
administrative processes. Safety systems are being pursued to improve
safety on the nation's highways and to reduce the burden on safe
carriers, and help streamline government processes. Administrative
processes are being pursued because of expected benefits to States and
the high benefit/cost ratio identified in a recent study (``Assessment
of ITS/Commercial Vehicle Operations and User Services--Qualitative
Benefit/Cost Analysis'' June, 1996, American Trucking Associations) for
carriers possessing 100 or more trucks.
[[Page 35302]]
Three examples of CVISN include screening for safety, acquiring
credentials, and mainline screening. Screening for safety would include
Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System information that
would provide a carrier safety snap-shot to the State or its agent for
use at the roadside mobile and/or fixed inspection/weigh facility. The
vehicle would pull into the facility and the US DOT number would be
obtained. This information is then checked on the pen base computer
that has a selection algorithm that suggests if the vehicle should be
inspected for safety. If the inspection is performed, information is
entered into the database via the pen base computer.
Carriers and commercial motor vehicle operators will obtain
credentials and perform carrier to State business transactions
electronically, directly from their offices. Carrier Automated
Transaction (CAT) Software that performs these transactions is
available from commercial sources. Commercial vendors have agreed to
use open standards being developed through the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI). ANSI open standards allow organizations to
develop compatible CAT type software. Larger carriers would likely use
these open standards to integrate carrier to State transaction software
into their existing fleet management systems. While the FHWA strongly
encourages carriers and States to use multiple vendors and encourage a
healthy competitive market, the CVO architecture requires that all
communication systems and interfaces deployed under CVISN use an open
architecture and comply with the ANSI X.12 standards for electronic
data interchange. Public private partnerships are encouraged in CAT
development and integration as they are in all CVISN systems.
Carriers could enroll in mainline screening projects that allow
carriers to pass inspection stations at mainline speeds for those
States with roadside inspection/weigh facilities. A carrier's safety
record will be evaluated using available safety information. The
probability of a safe carrier being inspected would be very low while
the probability of an historically unsafe carrier would be very high.
Participating motor carrier vehicles in the mainline screening program
would be weighed and classified by high speed screening equipment on
the highway preceding the inspection facility and electronically
examined via a vehicle-mounted transponder to ensure that all required
electronic screening criteria was met. If the vehicle meets the
criteria, the driver will be electronically notified by an indicator
device inside of the vehicle and allowed to bypass the inspection
facility. When one or more of the criteria are not satisfied, the
driver will be required to enter the inspection facility for further
review.
This Request for Application (RFA) outlines FHWA's plans for model
deployment of CVISN in seven model deployment States, one State from
each of the seven truckshed regions. The trucksheds were defined by
geographic distribution in the United States and by truck freight
volumes, therefore piloting a national program in each of the seven
regions is a logical progression to ``grow'' the program. Maryland and
Virginia will be used to try the first generation of CVISN and it will
then be refined and transferred to the model deployment State. States
are encouraged to form partnerships with other States and the private
sector in the CVISN program.
The complete RFA and additional information will be maintained on
the World Wide Web at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics
Laboratory (JHU/APL) home page (http://www.jhuapl.edu/transportation/
ssd/cvo/other/downdocs/downdocs.htm). The Intelligent Transportation
Society of America also provides information relevant to ITS and CVO on
their home page (http://davinci.csn.net/itsa/).
1.3 CVISN Objectives
Each model deployment State is required to demonstrate the
following over a two-year funding period at a few sites and for a
portion of the truck and motor coach industry:
a. Distribution of safety information to computers at the roadside
to target high risk carriers.
b. Use of license plate reader(s) at roadside to electronically
identify commercial vehicles and carriers to check safety information.
c. Electronic collection of inspection data from the roadside and
uploading to SAFETYNET.
d. Electronic application for credentials by motor carriers.
e. Interfacing of State systems to the International Registration
Plan (IRP) clearinghouse.
f. Interfacing of State systems to the International Fuel Tax
Agreement (IFTA) clearinghouse.
g. Electronic clearance at fixed and/or mobile sites.
The system for requesting oversize/overweight permits
electronically is optional.
CVISN model deployment States using Dedicated Short Range
Communications (DSRC) must be interoperable with major CVO clearance
programs and it is desirable to be interoparable with toll deployment
technology. This specifically includes adopting Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI) and DSRC standards applicable to CVO when they become
available. This is not designed to limit strategies, but to encourage
innovative approaches to achieving the ITS/CVO vision of increased
safety and efficiency. In addition, the FHWA will accept proposals
outlining projects that include partnering of additional States in a
truckshed region. The FHWA's plan includes expansion to additional
States that may overlap trucksheds, however, funding is limited to one
lead State per region. An example is a methodology that will identify
high risk carriers, drivers, and vehicles based on a regional
hypothesis.
Evaluation is another requirement. CVISN model deployment State
must participate in an overall project evaluation. As a partner, the
FHWA will provide an independent evaluator to work with the stakeholder
in refining their draft evaluation plan early in the test. The
evaluation process will help focus stakeholder efforts and resources
through early evaluation planning to achieve the maximum cost/benefits
from the program.
1.4 Expected CVISN Benefits
Expected Benefits for State Governments
a. Data interchange among State, carriers, financial institutions,
and insurance carriers will be electronic and efficient.
b. Administrators and enforcement personnel will have electronic
access to required data.
c. Enforcement resources can be focused on high risk carriers and
drivers.
d. Credentials issuance, taxation, inspections, and compliance
reviews will be automated to proceed more efficiently.
e. Better enforcement of weight, size, safety, and tax regulations.
f. In the long term, re-engineered policies and practices can be
based on measured data and careful analysis.
Expected Benefits for Motor Carriers
a. Reduced administrative burden in regulatory compliance.
b. Vehicles of safe and legal carriers will incur less delay.
c. Technology investment can support multiple services.
d. Uniformity of services across North America.
e. Focus on unsafe carriers will ``level the playing field.''
[[Page 35303]]
f. Reduction in exposure to lane change movements at inspection
sites.
g. Increased commercial vehicle fuel efficiency.
h. Reduced commercial vehicle emissions.
2. CVISN System and Organizational Coordination
The objectives of the CVISN model deployment program (Section 1.3)
will require system and organizational coordination. The organizations
and capabilities described here include the safety inspections and
electronic clearance; registration; electronic credentials, clearance,
and motor carriers; fuel tax system; and oversize/overweight. This
section takes a paragraph to describe what each objective achieves with
the CVISN deployment and how this is accomplished. The FHWA assumes
that model deployment States will upgrade existing systems or use a
private provider to operate and maintain the systems. The FHWA supports
automation of the existing functions, but is not encouraging the
addition of new systems.
2.1 Safety Inspections and Electronic Clearance
The State commercial vehicle safety system will upload inspections
electronically at the roadside using the ASPEN portable computer system
or current State system. Safety information will be provided
electronically to the roadside to enforcement officers. Preliminary
data have indicated that the effectiveness of roadside safety
inspections can be doubled combining this safety information with
experienced law enforcement officers. This will allow automated
screening to clear safe operators and focus safety enforcement on high
risk carriers. Federal model deployment funds could be used for
hardware and software, and the State will provide manpower to solve
organizational issues leading to deployment and resources such as motor
carrier inspectors to operate the system. This will be coordinated with
the existing Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP). The State
will also electronically clear transponder-equipped safe and legal
trucks and buses at fixed and/or mobile sites.
2.2 Registration
The State registration system will electronically accept
registration requests, issue credentials electronically, and respond to
queries of authorized users. Federal model deployment funds could be
used to purchase the necessary hardware and software to interface the
existing pilot State registration system and utilize an interstate IRP
clearinghouse. This IRP clearinghouse will be developed and operated
under the direction of the IRP board of directors. The State
registration agency will provide organizational coordination of the
technology deployment and any modifications required in the existing
State system software. Federal model deployment funds could be used for
travel funding to resolve organizational issues and to participate in
ANSI standards meetings to ensure the registration standards developed
meet the pilot State's requirements.
2.3 Electronic Credentials, Clearance, and Motor Carriers
Carriers and commercial motor vehicle operators will be able to
obtain credentials electronically. A small carrier if needed would go
to a single location, either a State or private provider, versus the
numerous locations currently required. User friendly personal computer
(PC) software would be developed. This software will allow carriers to
obtain credentials directly from their office. Larger carriers would
likely integrate credential software in their existing fleet management
system.
Carriers could apply for electronic clearance that allows safe and
legal carriers with transponder-equipped vehicles to pass inspection
stations or mobile sites at mainline speeds.
2.4 Fuel Tax System
The State fuel tax system will (1) electronically accept
applications for fuel credentials, (2) issue them, (3) accept quarterly
fuel tax reports, (4) respond to authorized queries, and (5) notify
other IFTA application States electronically of carriers allocated for
their State. Federal model deployment funds could be used to purchase
the necessary hardware and software to interface the existing model
deployment State fuel tax system and utilize an interstate fuel
clearinghouse. This fuel clearinghouse will be developed and operated
under the direction of the IFTA board of directors and coordinated with
IFTA. The clearinghouse will notify the model deployment State
electronically of all carriers allowed to operate in the pilot State,
who are base-stated in other States. The fuel tax system will provide
organizational coordination for the technology deployment and necessary
modifications required in the existing system software. Federal model
deployment funds could be used for travel funding to resolve
organizational issues and to participate in the ANSI standards meetings
to ensure the fuel tax standards developed meet the pilot State's
requirements.
2.5 Oversize/Overweight (Optional)
The State oversize/overweight system will allow the carrier to
request credentials electronically and issue oversize/overweight
permits electronically for CVO vehicles in an approved envelope for
size and weight. Requests outside the envelope will be notified to
contact the organization in person. Where States have developed
regional oversize/overweight agreements, the region will select a
single State to issue credentials for that region. The State will
provide manpower to resolve issues and operate the system. Federal
model deployment funds could be used to purchase and install the system
and provide travel funding to resolve the organizational issues and to
participate in ANSI standards meetings to ensure the oversize/
overweight standards developed meet the model deployment State's
requirements.
3. CVISN Funding
In fiscal year (FY) 96, the FHWA expects to provide $500,000 to
each model deployment State to enable them to automate their systems,
purchase technologies for the model deployment, and develop business
plans. Additional Federal FY 97 funding is planned. The actual amount
will be based on implementation cost estimates, Congressional funding
levels, and past performance. The availability of CVISN funding beyond
FY 97 is undetermined at this time. Success of the CVISN model
deployment program will have a significant role in future Federal
funding.
3.1 Federal Allocation
Funding for each selected pilot State will be provided over a two-
year funding period.
3.2 Eligible Costs for Federal Funding
Eligible expenditures for Federal funding will be for software
development, equipment, installation, maintenance, and other expenses
to achieve the objectives of the CVISN project.
3.3 Non-Federal Cost Sharing
The CVISN model deployment States will be asked to contribute at
least 50% of the cost of the project in hard and/or soft matches. Non-
Federal cost sharing (private and public) funds and other resources are
required. An example of non-Federal cost sharing
[[Page 35304]]
includes (a) funds for equipment, (b) staff, (c) cash and (d) cost of
integrating existing equipment for CVISN model deployment. In addition,
the future non-Federal cost sharing percentage is subject to change
depending upon Congressional funding.
4. Mainstreaming
Mainstreaming funds will be available to States and regions in FY
1996. These funds will help continue to build the organizational and
institutional arrangements among State, carriers, and vendors to ensure
the development and deployment of ITS/CVO user services to public and
private markets. While the model deployment of the CVISN architecture
proceeds in the model deployment State over the next two funding years,
the State and regional forums will be strengthened by providing Federal
funding to hire regional champions responsible for near-term deployment
activities. The regional champions and forums will serve the following
functions: (a) the development of regional and State ITS/CVO
Mainstreaming plans to prepare for CVISN model deployment in States
throughout the seven truckshed regions, (b) the dissemination of
results from the initial CVISN model deployment to the rest of the
regional forum and (c) facilitating information transfer between the
regional champion and the program manager.
5. Evaluation
The FHWA will conduct a rigorous, independent evaluation of the
effectiveness of the CVISN model deployment in achieving the CVISN
objectives and National ITS program goals. The independent evaluation
may be conducted using existing FHWA resources, or, as part of another
solicitation, the FHWA may contract with one or more independent
evaluation contractor(s) to evaluate the model deployments.
6. Application Requirements
The application to be a model deployment State shall include a
memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the chief executive officer's (CEO)
signature of relevant agencies demonstrating their support for
providing the CVISN services previously outlined. A signature of the
Governor is optional. A letter(s) of support from the CEO of a motor
carrier is strongly encouraged. An organizational chart showing the
relationship between the agencies, a point of contact for each agency
and a lead agency will be identified at this time. This process is to
ensure management support for CVISN services at all levels. If there is
no MOA, the application will not be considered further.
Each application shall include and fully address the selection
criteria statements in Section 7, Selection Criteria.
7. Selection Criteria
Selection for participation in the CVISN model deployment program
will include the following criteria:
7.1 Institutional Capabilities
States interested in model deployment of CVISN should include, with
their application of interest, supporting documentation indicating the
extent to which of these institutional capabilities exist. Possessing
more of these institutional capabilities will increase the ability of a
State to be selected and to be a successful model deployment State.
a. Leadership and initiative on ITS/CVO issues and programs through
participation in ITS/CVO institutional studies and operational tests.
b. Integration with safety strategies and projects targeting high
risk carriers.
c. An ITS/CVO working group involving agencies and private
industry.
d. An ITS/CVO plan (strategic, business, deployment, etc.). If a
plan is available, a bullet list of major elements should be attached
with the application including: (1) Goals, (2) Objectives, (3) Actions,
(4) Schedule, and (5) Funding summary.
e. Strong commitment to customer service and the ability to work
with the motor carrier industry in their State.
f. A project manager to oversee deployment of these services.
g. Experience and willingness to work with other State and CVO-
related organizations at the regional and national level.
h. Commitment to participate in the evaluation and the CVISN model
deployment following the two-year operational test.
i. Public/private partnerships involving CVO.
7.2 Technical Capabilities
States interested in model deployment of CVISN should include
supporting documentation indicating their technical capabilities for
the items below. It is not anticipated that most of these technical
capabilities exist in States, but possessing more of these technical
capabilities will increase the ability of a State to be a successful
model deployment .
a. Significant public and/or private sector investment and
technical capability in developing, operating, and maintaining CVO-
related information management systems and technologies.
b. Significant progress in developing and operating (including the
private sector) several ITS/CVO services, including:
1. Distribution of safety information to computers at the roadside
to target high risk carriers.
2. Use of license plate reader(s) at roadside to electronically
identify commercial vehicles and carriers to check safety information.
3. Electronic application for credentials by motor carriers.
4. Electronic collection of inspection data from fixed and/or
mobile electronic safety screening programs, and the ability to support
on-line data entry of safety information to SAFETYNET.
5. Electronic clearance programs where States operate a significant
number of weigh stations, ports-of-entry, or mobile operations.
6. Electronic registration programs for carriers for interstate and
intrastate registrations, and the ability to respond to electronic
queries from government and industry to verify the status of
registrations.
7. Electronic fuel tax reporting, and the ability to respond to
electronic queries from government and industry to verify the status of
fuel tax accounts.
8. Electronic oversize/overweight permitting, and the ability to
respond to electronic queries from government and industry to verify
the status of oversize/overweight permits.
c. State communications infrastructure or that of a private
provider is sufficiently developed to provide on-line information
exchange capability to the designated users.
d. Sufficient support equipment to carry out the model deployment
of CVISN and ITS/CVO services.
8. Schedule
The time line for the CVISN model deployment State application and
selection process is as follows:
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Number and date Event
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1. May 20, 1996........................... Distribute request for
Applications for CVISN
Model Deployment Program.
2. July 19, 1996.......................... Applications for CVISN Model
Deployment Program due.
3. August 16, 1996........................ Applications selected for
CVISN Model Deployment
Program.
4. September 20, 1996..................... Funding agreements
completed.
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[[Page 35305]]
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on: June 28, 1996.
Rodney E. Slater,
Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-17110 Filed 7-3-96; 8:45 am]
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