The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) awarded more than $2 million in federal grants to improve commercial truck and bus safety across the state of North Dakota.

FMCSA awarded $349,131 to the North Dakota Department of Transportation to implement an electronic commercial driver's license testing system across the state. FMCSA additionally awarded the North Dakota Highway Patrol $1,963,108 to conduct compliance reviews, safety audits and thousands of inspections throughout North Dakota, to include ports of entry and remote border locations.

As FMCSA announced its grant award in Bismarck, law enforcement officials throughout North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming conducted full bus driver and vehicle safety inspections. The three-state inspection sweep is part of FMCSA's year-round partnership with the states to bolster commercial bus and driver safety.

In addition to FMCSA's grant and enforcement efforts, the agency also offers a "Think Safety: Every Trip, Every Time" pre-trip safety checklist to help consumers review a bus company's safety record, safety rating and US DOT operating authority before buying a ticket or hiring a bus company for group travel.

The checklist is available online at FMCSA's Passenger Bus Safety website. FMCSA also encourages consumers to report any unsafe bus company, vehicle or driver to the agency through a toll free hotline 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238) or FMCSA's consumer complaint website.