Iowa has adopted a new audit program for intrastate commercial motor carriers which requires all motor carriers operating in the state to display their company or farm operation name and U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) registration number on their vehicles, the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Office of Motor Vehicle Enforcement (MVE) announced yesterday.

Though carriers crossing state lines and intrastate for-hire carriers have been required to display the USDOT number for several years, the procedural change applies only to intrastate operators, including commercial motor carriers previously exempted from displaying the info.

“This concept is similar to the driver’s license system where the (Iowa) DOT may take corrective actions toward a person that has an excessive number of moving violations or some critical violation,” MVE Chief Dave Lorenzen said in a news release. “Given the large number of commercial motor vehicles registered in Iowa, it makes sense, and is the best and most efficient use of our resources, to direct enforcement efforts to carriers that are having problems.”

The requirement applies to anyone transporting persons or property in commerce with a vehicle that qualifies as a commercial motor vehicle. It also includes vehicles that meet gross weight standards, haul hazardous materials, or seat 16 or more people.

According to the MVE, data indicates that compliance reviews have a significant impact on safety in the 25 states that have similar programs, such as Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Missouri.

“Our staff believes the new program will make an impact on safety and be a major component in reaching the Iowa DOT’s goal of reducing commercial vehicle-related fatalities by 24 persons in five years,” Lorenzen said.

The program went into effect Feb. 1, but no citations or written warnings related to the program will be issued until Jan. 1, 2011.

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