GAO reviews CMV registration program

Jul 27, 2009

A voluntary program aimed at tracking commercial motor vehicle carriers whose registrations have been placed out of service has kept unsafe carriers from operating, although effectiveness is hard to measure, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

The report (.pdf file), released May 12, highlights findings from an analysis of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's voluntary Performance and Registration Information Systems Management grant program. PRISM is intended to help states establish information system connections between state vehicle registration and FMCSA's safety databases. The program inhibits out-of-service CMVs from operating unlawfully by obtaining or maintaining valid vehicle registrations. GAO findings show:

• "Patchwork" implementation – meaning only 25 states have implemented PRISM to the point of where they are able to prevent out-of-service drivers from maintaining vehicle registrations – is one of several limiting program factors. FMCSA officials suggested program effectiveness would require voluntary participation of between 38 and 40 states.
• National PRISM implementation may not occur for several years if PRISM remains voluntary.