Bumper to Bumper - The Complete Guide to Tractor-Trailer Operations

Of course you've heard of the rules of the road. But who makes those rules? This year we've been profiling the different agencies contributing to the regulations that govern and impact commercial vehicle driving. Earlier this year we profiled the DOT, the NHTSA, the AAMVA, the FMCSA and the AASHTO. You can find all those profiles in our Article Archives. This month Mike Byrnes and Associates, Inc., highlights the Federal Highway Administration.

The Federal Highway Administration is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It's a cabinet-level organization of the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government. The top-level official at FHWA, the Administrator, reports directly to the Secretary of Transportation who in turn is appointed by the President.

In general, the agency does this through the highway system. The FHWA seeks to ensure that roads and highways are safe and up-to-date. It provides funds and resources to state, local and tribal governments for constructing, preserving and improving the highway system. Additional miles of urban and rural roads which are not part of the highway system are also eligible for federal aid.

American Recovery and Reinvestiment Act 2009 logo

The money that the FHWA awards comes from fuel taxes and motor vehicle excise taxes. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) and on March 3, 2009, President Obama and Vice President Biden joined USDOT Secretary LaHood in announcing that $26.6 billion of this funding was available to states for highway investment.

On May 18, 2009, the Department of Transportation published an interim notice announcing the availability of funding for TIGER Discretionary Grants. TIGER stands for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery. The goal of the TIGER program is to make award to states or transit agencies on a competitive basis for capital investments in surface transportation projects. Candidate projects are those that will impact significantly the nation, a metropolitan are or a region. For more information on TIGER grants, contact the program manager at TIGERGrants@dot.gov.

If you've been in the industry for a while, you may recall that the FHWA was responsible for motor carrier operations and functions. Those have been the responsibility of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration since 2000.

To learn more about the FHWA, visit the Web site at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov.