The Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) program is a law enforcement based commercial driver/vehicle inspection program utilizing the North American Standard Levels I and III inspection procedures which emphasizes the following goals and objectives:

1. Remove potentially unsafe drivers and imminently hazardous vehicle from the roadways.

2. Direct attention to the provisions of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), Federal Hazardous Materials, the Canadian National Safety Code, the Mexican Federal Safety Regulations and compatible state and provincial rules by requiring repairs of vehicle defects and appropriate remedial action for the vehicle and/or driver violations. 

3. Document violations that may be used in subsequent enforcement actions, including out-of-service violations.

4. Obtain information regarding carriers, drivers, vehicles, and cargo relative to safety & compliance, and overall program direction & evaluation.

5. Weights and measures calibration and certification of portable scales annually. 

6. Enforcement officers have an annual requirement that must be met by conducting Level I and Level III inspections to maintain their certifications.

The operation of the MCSAP program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania falls under the authority of the Pennsylvania State Police, with MCSAP certified local police also having enforcement authority with a minimum mandated requirement as well as a mandated requirement for annual update training.

The Carroll Township Police Department currently has two certified officers to conduct MCSAP enforcement and a total of three officers who are weights and measured certified to be able to ensure safety to the general motoring public.

Officers will often coordinate and work with neighboring police departments to conduct MCSAP details in order to ensure that the commercial vehicles traveling on the roadways meet the standards required under the federal safety guidelines and laws.