PennDOT - FMCSA Updates

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that beginning May 8, 2020, the first three Driver License Centers in yellow phase counties will reopen, adhering to restrictions on work and social interaction set by Governor Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

"PennDOT’s driver and photo license centers are some of Pennsylvania government’s highest public touchpoints, and it was critical that these locations close in accordance with Governor Wolf’s stay-at-home order, for the safety of our staff and customers," said Acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. "We are pleased to begin reopening these locations, with safety protocols in place."

Beginning Friday, May 8, the following driver license centers will reopen with limited services:

• Erie Driver and Photo License Center, 7200 Peach Street, Suite 480, Erie;
• Selinsgrove Driver and Photo License Center, 1015 Route 522, Selinsgrove; and
• Williamsport Driver and Photo License Center, 1782 East Third Street, Williamsport.

Hours of operation at all these Driver License Centers will be Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM Wednesday and Thursday between 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM will be designated times for customers 60 years or older.

Additional Driver License and Photo License Centers will reopen in yellow phase counties in the next few days. As the centers open, they will offer limited services. Customers will be able to obtain the following services as they plan their visit to one of these centers:

• Commercial Driver License (CDL) transactions, including renewals, replacements, Medical Examiner’s Certificates (MECs), date of proof transactions, Hazardous Material Recertifications, and related transactions;
• Initial issuance transactions, including out-of-state transfers, ID card issuance, and related transactions;
• Photo license services;
• Driver license restoration services that cannot be completed online or via mail;
• Medical-related testing; and
• Non-U.S. citizen transaction processing.

Customers seeking renewal of their non-commercial license or ID should renew online or by mail to avoid an unnecessary visit to the Driver License Center.

In an effort to support social distancing and reduce initial volume and demand at driver license centers, the following customer services will not be initially available:

• Non-commercial road testing;
• REAL ID applications and transactions, however, pre-verified customers can apply for REAL ID online; and
• Transactions or services that can be completed online at www.dmv.pa.gov.

In all reopened driver license centers, the following COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place:

• Customers will be prescreened and asked brief questions regarding any potential symptoms of COVID-19;
• Customers will be requested to wear masks while in the facility;
• Seating will be reduced at all Driver License Centers to make social distancing easier to maintain six feet distances between each seat;
• The number of customers will be limited to correspond with available counter stations and available seating in the customer waiting area only;
• Admittance to the facility will be limited to only the customer requiring service, unless assistance is needed by an accompanying person;
• Plexiglass sneeze guards have been installed at each counter to protect customers and employees;
• Cleaning protocols have been enhanced to sanitize facilities on an ongoing basis; and
• Markings on floors have been added to assist with social distancing along with signage to communicate special instructions to customers.

As PennDOT reopens Driver License and Photo License Centers, services will be in high demand, and customers should expect longer than normal waits. PennDOT staff will work with each customer when they arrive to plan their visit, with additional staff serving as greeters to screen documents and provide information for a smooth and safe transaction as possible. PennDOT apologizes for this inconvenience and appreciates customers’ understanding during this transition.

Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver's license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; and driver license and photo ID duplicates. There are no additional fees for using online services.

PennDOT will continue to evaluate these processes and will continue to reopen other locations as soon as safely possible.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

A list of the projects that PennDOT has deemed "emergency" projects that will be part of the first round of construction projects to be addressed. This is in addition to the 61 projects announced earlier.

View List

On behalf of our members, PACA reached out to PennDOT to ask how PennDOT Municipal Services will manage delivery tickets under COVID-19 protocol:

As you are aware, PennDOT has released the Guidance for Restarting Construction Projects and one of the key elements from the materials end is the handling of delivery tickets (physical v electronic) by our industry.

The following response was received from PennDOT Personnel:

In response to your April 8^th email below regarding delivery of material and associated tickets, PennDOT recommends your members follow the Guidance for Restarting Construction Projects Final v1.6 3-30-20 (attached for reference/inclusion), Page 21, Materials Deliveries to Project Site, sub-bullets 1 & 2. (excerpt below)

Material Deliveries to Project Site

• Contractor designates one (1) individual to collect all delivery tickets.
  • Individual will be required to communicate information from the delivery tickets to the Representative.
• Contractor to scan delivery tickets and submit to Representative through a Project Collaboration System (PCS) or Designated individual will have truck driver drop the ticket into a sealable container.
  • Tickets will remain quarantined for 24 hours before being provided to the Representative.
• All certifications will be submitted to the Representative through a PCS.
• No signatures or documentation on delivery tickets.
• eTicketing
  • If eTicketing was included in the project’s contract, proceed with the requirements contained within the contract.
• Producers capable of eTicketing may elect to provide delivery tickets in this manner at no additional cost. GPS locations for delivery trucks will not be required.

View Guidance Document

• First and foremost, review PennDOT's Guidance Document for Restarting Construction Projects found below.

• Who will be the point person that will make sure these things are done?

• Who will carry out the cleaning/ sanitation and what will the frequency of this process be?

• How will your releases, tickets and testing results will be handled?

• Make sure to include/post a statement about limiting people in your labs and that truck drivers are PROHIBITED in your lab.

• Post a memo about access to hand washing stations and hand sanitizer.

• An Inspector should witness testing from a safe distance and the test results will have need to posted in eCamms/Plant book within 24 hours so PennDOT personnel can review the results via their laptops.

• The Plant Technician is required to document test results on your ticket.

Review Guidance Document

Today, March 31, PACA received the following press released from PennDOT:

Work Continues on PennDOT Emergency and Critical Highway and Bridge Infrastructure Projects

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that 61 emergency and critical highway and bridge projects will be active statewide this week. While the normal highway and bridge construction program has paused as the commonwealth addresses COVID-19 response, urgent emergency work has continued to ensure a reliable transportation system as circumstances surrounding COVID-19 continue to unfold.

On March 17, in response to Governor Wolf’s COVID-19 mitigation guidance, PennDOT paused construction projects statewide to minimize COVID-19 exposure for PennDOT and private-sector employees, as well as the communities where they live and work.

“A safe and reliable transportation network is always of the utmost importance, but it becomes even more crucial in times of crisis,” said Acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We need to ensure that work continues on these critical projects, and we are taking the proper precautions to help ensure the safety of both our employees and our partners in the industry.”

For any work activity addressing critical asset issues, strategies are deployed that include cleanliness protocols for jobsites and offices, social distancing guidelines, procedures to address employee sickness, and the safe handling of material deliveries.

The emergency work that continues addresses specific safety need criteria, such as landslide repairs, or critical bridge, tunnel and drainage repairs, and work needed to eliminate roadway restrictions that could impede the ability for the movement of life sustaining goods and services. Conditions are continuously evaluated to determine the appropriate response.

View Project List

See the all the documents released by PennDOT below.

Please note that the below documents apply to both PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike as well.

Please see the memo below regarding Clarification for use of Publication 408/2016, Change No. 7, for projects with original advertised let dates prior to April 10, 2020.

Read Memo

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is reopening indoor facilities at 23 select rest areas across Pennsylvania to all motorists, including the 13 facilities in critical locations that were reopened March 18 with portable restrooms and handwashing facilities.

PennDOT's 30 rest areas were temporarily closed statewide on March 17 in response to Governor Tom Wolf's mitigation guidance regarding COVID-19 to ensure that proper safety and sanitation protocols were in place.

"While unnecessary travel is discouraged as we all do our part to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we understand that some trips are necessary and that access to rest areas is important," said Acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. "We are constantly evaluating our actions and services in responding to this emergency and will make adjustments where we can safely do so."

All reopened rest areas will return to normal service with additional cleaning and maintenance. A complete list of open locations is below:

• Interstate 79 northbound in Allegheny County, 8 miles north of Exit 45;
• Interstate 79 northbound in Crawford County, 8 miles north of Exit 154;
• Interstate 79 southbound in Crawford County, 3 miles south of Exit 166;
• Interstate 79 northbound in Lawrence County, 3.5 miles north of Exit 105;
• Interstate 79 southbound in Lawrence County, 3.5 miles south of Exit 113
• Interstate 79 northbound in Mercer County, 5 miles south of Exit 141;
• Interstate 79 southbound in Mercer County, 6 miles north of Exit 130;
• Interstate 80 eastbound in Centre County, 13 miles east of Exit 133;
• Interstate 80 westbound in Centre County, .5 miles west of Exit 147;
• Interstate 80 eastbound in Jefferson County, 1 mile east of Exit 86;
• Interstate 80 westbound in Jefferson County, 10 miles west of Exit 97;
• Interstate 80 eastbound in Montour County, 4.5 miles east of Exit 215;
• Interstate 80 westbound in Montour County, 4.5 miles west of Exit 224;
• Interstate 80 eastbound in Venango County, .5 miles east of Exit 29;
• Interstate 80 westbound in Venango County, 4 miles west of Exit 35;
• Interstate 81 northbound in Cumberland County, .5 miles north of Exit 37;
• Interstate 81 southbound in Cumberland County, 5.5 miles south of Exit 44;
• Interstate 81 northbound in Lackawanna County, .5 miles north of Exit 202;
• Interstate 81 northbound in Luzerne County, 1.5 miles north of Exit 155;
• Interstate 81 southbound in Luzerne County, 1.5 miles south of Exit 159;
• Interstate 81 southbound in Susquehanna County, 4 miles south of Exit 211;
• Interstate 84 eastbound in Pike County, 6 miles east of Exit 20; and
• Interstate 84 westbound in Pike County, 1 mile west of Exit 26.

The department will continue to evaluate and will determine whether additional rest areas can be reopened.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is implementing the following operational changes in response to Governor Tom Wolf’s mitigation guidance regarding COVID-19. Bid lettings scheduled for March 19 and March 26, 2020, will move to an interim date of April 2, 2020.

Read More

In accordance with Governor Wolf’s March 11, 2020 directive on Planning for Large Meetings, Conferences, Trainings, and Community Events and based on advice from the Department of Health regarding the mitigation of the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the remaining PennDOT/NECEPT Certified Concrete Field Testing Technician Certification courses already scheduled for 2020 are being canceled. These courses will not be rescheduled, and the following will apply for the 2020 construction season:

Read More

In accordance with Governor Wolf’s March 11, 2020 directive on Planning for Large Meetings, Conferences, Trainings, and Community Events and based on advice from the Department of Health regarding the mitigation of the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the remaining PennDOT/NECEPT Certified Aggregate Technician Certification courses already scheduled for 2020 are being canceled. These courses will not be rescheduled, and the following will apply for the 2020 construction season:

Read More

Note: This guidance document does not have the force and effect of law and is not meant to bind the public in any way. This guidance is intended only to provide clarity regarding existing requirements under the law.

Read Document

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), please see the guidance links below. They clarify driver drug and alcohol testing, and CDL waivers.

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/emergency/fmcsa-covid-19-drug-alcohol-testing-guidance

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/emergency/fmcsa-cdl-waiver-32420

FMCSA COVID-19 Resources

Frequently Asked Questions Related to the FMCSA Emergency Declaration 03/19/2020

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