The goal of FMCSA’s Wireless Roadside Inspection Program is to demonstrate the feasibility and value of assessing truck and bus drivers and vehicles 100 times more often than is possible using today’s inspection systems. An added benefit is that it will keep safe and legal drivers and vehicles moving on the highways and help alleviate congestion. The program will evaluate the potential benefits to both the motor carrier industry and government, and the outcomes will guide FMCSA in developing associated policy decisions and potential enforcement strategies.

The Wireless Roadside Inspection Program is a cooperative effort among FMCSA, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Mitretek Systems, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee Department of Safety, and Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. It will be conducted in three phases; the first is the Technical Concept Development and Demonstration phase that began in FY 2006 and will conclude in FY 2008. The 12-month Pilot Testing phase will run from the second quarter of 2008 to the second quarter of 2009. Building on the experiences from the pilot test, a Wireless Roadside Inspection system and proposed interdiction strategies are planned for an FOT from the first quarter of FY 2010 and the second quarter of FY 2011.

Each phase concludes with an assessment process to evaluate results, refine the concept/architecture, make decisions about next steps, and plan the next phase before moving forward. Throughout the program, input will be solicited from and coordinated with stakeholder groups and related programs/projects to review concepts, share lessons learned, integrate activities and data, identify benefits for different stakeholder groups, and help determine this program’s direction.