The proposed project will help bridge gaps in existing, traditional CMV enforcement strategies highlighted by using innovative, data-driven solutions

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration awarded the University of Memphis $2 million on December 1, 2025, under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance High Priority Activities Grants and Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 20.237) to deploy AI-based real-time enforcement monitoring, automated speed enforcement, geofencing technologies, and CMV-specific policies for lane compliance and weigh-in-motion enforcement in work zones. The project will enhance coordination between law enforcement and transportation agencies to improve enforcement strategies and develop national policy recommendations to standardize AI-driven work zone enforcement technologies across multiple states.

The award funds work performed in Tennessee through September 30, 2028. The University of Tennessee serves as a sub-recipient, delivering components of the Proactive Enforcement and Technology-Enabled Compliance for Commercial Motor Vehicles Safety in Work Zones (PROTECT-CMV) project under sub-award executed on March 26, 2026.

Project activities include: (1) deploying artificial intelligence (AI)-based real-time enforcement monitoring (e.g., connected vehicle alerts, predictive analytics for high-risk zones); (2) implementing automated speed enforcement and geofencing technologies for sustained CMV compliance; (3) introducing CMV specific policies for lane compliance, weigh-in-motion enforcement, and real-time speed monitoring; ( 4) enhancing coordination between law enforcement and transportation agencies to improve enforcement strategies; and ( 5) developing national policy recommendations to standardize AI-driven work zone enforcement technologies across multiple states.