RSF 120: Kentucky CDL Adjudication Pilot and Compliance Needs Study – CDLPI 2021

Abstract RSF 120, Kentucky CDL Adjudication Pilot and Compliance Needs Study Kentucky CDL stakeholders would like to initiate a pilot project in collaboration with Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) researchers to address the decline in CDL conviction rates in district courts all over the state, the lagging technology needs of local law enforcement agencies who still issue manual citations, and workflow bottlenecks that occur as a result of technology limitations and procedural dynamics. The project will explore innovative approaches to CDL adjudication by piloting logistical and scheduling changes for two district court dockets so that CDL-related cases are grouped together. Judicial and law enforcement liaisons who work with enforcement and judicial agencies believe such a practice will result in more consistent adjudication than having driver cases mixed in with traffic infraction cases for standard licensees and other criminal misdemeanor cases. Due to high case volumes, district court judges and prosecutors are sometimes unaware an individual is a CDL holder. Stakeholders believe hearing all of those cases simultaneously will decrease the likelihood of dismissals and amended charges because a) it clarifies the type of license holder before the court, b) would allow judicial liaisons (Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutors and the Judicial Outreach Liaison) to attend and provide judges and prosecutors guidance about 49 CFR 383 and 384 requirements if requested and c) makes the logistics of enforcement officers attending court less complicated if the court would like to hear witness testimony regarding particular cases. Researchers will compare CDL case and charge outcomes in collaborating district courts before and after pilot project implementation and evaluate the success of new adjudication methodologies. Kentucky State Police transitioned to electronic citations several years ago and offers local law enforcement agencies access to its citation software. However, the cost of license scanners, laptops for police cruisers, internet connectivity, and training, among others, are an impediment to implementation of electronic citations for local police and sheriff’s departments. As a result, many local agencies still use paper citations, which greatly increases the odds of data quality issues. Misspelled names, incorrect dates of birth, and other missing or inaccurate data fields make it difficult for circuit court clerks to transmit the necessary information to KYTC’s Division of Driver Licensing to affirmatively identify an individual driver. Consequently, the quality of data management for driver history records in the Kentucky Driver’s License Information System (KDLIS) and in CDLIS is adversely affected. Kentucky CDL administrators would like to commission a survey of local law enforcement agencies to gather information about technology needs and conduct additional research on possible technology solutions. Additionally, they would like researchers to document interagency workflow challenges to CDL compliance administration, and investigate strategies to resolve technological and procedural limitations pertinent to compliance with state and federal CDL requirements. Upon completion of the adjudication pilot and inquiries regarding enforcement technology and interagency processes, KTC researchers will develop best practices for CDL-related adjudication, enforcement technology, and interagency workflows. They will also develop an adjudication methodologies implementation plan for additional district courts to consider if the evaluation indicates the pilot project was a success.