The California Transportation Foundation (CTF) announced the top finalists for its 32nd Annual Transportation Awards and we are proud to share that the California Trucking Association (CTA) is a finalist for the Advanced Technology Program or Project of the Year and the Operational Efficiency Program of the Year.
 
CTA is being recognized for its collaborative work with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to ensure the trucking industry had the tools necessary to address the unprecedented surge in truckload volumes and expedited emergency shipments during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
 
COVID-19 Relief Fleet Permits for Overweight Loads
Working closely with Caltrans and CHP, CTA requested that California implement the Federal Emergency Declaration that allowed states a 10 percent weight tolerance for commercial vehicles transporting essential goods during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, through a permitted process. In addition to increasing weight limits, CTA staff worked on a streamlined application package, which allowed individual companies to apply for a blanket permit for their entire fleet. This collaborative effort is being recognized as a finalist for the Operational Efficiency Program of the Year.
 
Virtual Commercial Vehicle Inspection for Transportation Permits
In order to encourage an innovative and economically competitive freight system while also adhering to social distancing guidelines, for years CTA and a number of its Heavy Specialized Carrier members advocated for a new policy for a virtual inspection system with Caltrans. This policy brought permitting to the 21st century by allowing virtual inspections in lieu of physical vehicle inspection. This new process is a finalist for the Advanced Technology Program or Project of the Year.
 
Winners of the CTF’s Transportation Awards will be announced during a virtual event on May 27, 2021. For more information contact Eric Sauer at esauer@caltrux.org.