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Commercial trucking operations in the United States must comply with FMCSA to stay legit via trucking requirements and conditions. FMCSA compliance creates federal requirements on safety and operation within an organization like carriers, drivers, and vehicles to be legit by the FMCSA standards.
Either you are providing the owner-operation services or managing the fleet, understanding FMCSA rules related to compliance is significant in legal operation, avoiding penalties, and maintaining a good safety record.
FMCSA compliance means following the federal trucking regulations that control drivers' safety, vehicle maintenance, hours of service, and the operating authority. These rules are applicable to all carriers who are into interstate commerce but not to certain intrastate operations.
FMCSA regulations mainly cover:
If your truck weighs 10,001 pounds or more, transports hazardous materials, or carries passengers, FMCSA compliance applies to your business.
Consequences of ignoring FMCSA rules may include:
FMCSA compliance allows carriers to improve road safety and pass inspections, enjoying the trouble-free operation.
All carriers must register with FMCSA and obtain a USDOT number. Interstate carriers transporting regulated goods must also have operating authority (MC number).
These identifiers will give FMCSA the ability to monitor safety performance, inspections, and history regarding compliance.
Carriers must maintain Driver Qualification Files (DQFs) for each driver. The DQFs must contain:
Drivers shall meet the FMCSA medical, age, and experience requirements for drivers of commercial vehicles.
Hours of Service regulations prevent driver fatigue; they also make roads safer.
Key limits of HOS include:
Most carriers are required to use Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) to accurately record driving time.
FMCSA mandates to keep the vehicle in a safe operating condition at all times through regular inspections and maintenance to be undertaken by carriers.
The records which must be kept include:
Poor vehicle maintenance will lead to roadside violations as well as negative safety scores.
FMCSA requires DOT-compliant drug and alcohol testing programs for all CDL drivers.
Test requirements:
Carriers must keep proper testing records and ensure that drivers do not ever fall out of compliance.
Minimum levels of liability insurance must be kept by carriers according to the vehicle type and what it is hauling.
Proof of this insurance must be filed with FMCSA and maintained without lapse to prevent authority suspension.
New motor carriers are subject to a certain New Entrant Safety Audit within their first year of operation. In addition, FMCSA may conduct:
Accurate documentation and having all regulations followed are the keys to helping carriers pass audits.
The most common FMCSA violations include:
The consistent monitoring and record keeping will require nothing short of these issues to be avoided.
FMCSA compliance is at the beginning of the legal and operational foundation of the entire trucking industry. Driver qualifications, Hours of Service rules, vehicle maintenance, safety audits; every regulation touches something for the good of protecting drivers and the public.
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