FMCSA proposing to remove over 15,000 medical examiners from National Registry
FMCSA is proposing to remove over 15,000 medical examiners from its National Registry of Medical Examiners, according to a notice to be published in the Federal Register soon.In its notice, the FMCSA explains these examiners have not set up accounts through login.gov, the government-run multi-factor authentication site, and therefore are unable to "fulfill regulatory requirements such as reporting results of physical qualification examinations performed on commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers,
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA Administrator to resign Jan. 26th
FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson will be resigning from her post effective January 26, 2024. The reasons for her departure are not clear. Sue Lawless, FMCSA's recently appointed Chief Safety Officer and Assistant Administrator, is likely to serve as the agency's Acting Administrator.In a statement, Hutcheson said, “It has been the most profound honor to serve in the Biden-Harris Administration, and I am grateful to President Biden for appointing me to these roles. I thank Secretary Buttigieg
Brandon Wiseman
Shifting Sands of Independence: breaking down the DOL's new independent contractor rule
The rumble of diesel engines and the endless stretch of asphalt have long embodied the spirit of American independence. For countless truckers, the open road is more than a job; it's a way of life, woven into the fabric of our nation's economic and social landscape. However, this familiar landscape is once gain undergoing a shift due to the recently implemented Department of Labor (DOL) final rule on independent contractor classification, potentially altering the course for owner-operators and t
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA amends broker & freight forwarder financial responsibility rules
In a notice to be published in the Federal Register soon, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced revisions to its regulations pertaining to property broker and freight forwarder financial responsibility.This final rule, which is set to take effect 60 days from the date the rule is published in the Federal Register, modifies the following five regulatory areas relating to broker and freight forwarder financial responsibility:Assets Readily Available. In its 2012 MAP-21
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA to enhance DataQs appeal process
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has plans to overhaul its DataQs system to accommodate deeper levels of appeal, according to a recent notice from the agency. "Stakeholders from industry, CMV drivers, and the public have expressed concerns regarding the transparency and uniformity of addressing Requests for Data Review (RDRs), and specifically, RDR Reconsiderations. Stakeholders note that program offices do not have a uniform process for initial RDR reviews or for handling
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA again considering substantial changes to safety ratings
**UPDATE: Since publishing this article, the FMCSA has scheduled an in-person listening session at the Texas Truck Show in Houston on June 29, 2024 to hear from the public on the proposal to modify the safety rating process. The agency also plans to hold additional virtual listening sessions in June and July 2024 on the topic. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is once again contemplating significant changes to its Safety Fitness Determinations, commonly known as "safety rat
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA soliciting waiver requests to reinstate meal & rest break laws
In what seems like an unprecedented move, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is soliciting regulatory waiver requests from the public, which, if granted, could reinstate California's and Washington's meal and rest break rules as applied to regulated commercial drivers. In a notice published to the Federal Register on August 14, 2023, the FMCSA explained, "the Agency will consider petitions for waiver of its December 21, 2018, and January 13, 2020, decisions preempting the St
Brandon Wiseman
Federal appeals court rules claims against freight broker after crash are preempted
Earlier this week, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals--the federal court with appellate jurisdiction over courts in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin--ruled in favor of GlobalTranz, a freight broker, in a highway accident suit brought against it by plaintiff Ying Ye after her husband was killed in a crash caused by a carrier GlobalTranz had engaged to haul freight. The appeal presented the question of whether a plaintiff's claims against a property broker for negligently selecting/hiring an alleged
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA & NHTSA propose heavy vehicle automatic emergency brake rule
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a joint Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on June 22, 2023, which would mandate that all newly-manufactured heavy trucks and buses be equipped with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems. “Advanced driver assistance systems like AEB have the power to save lives,” said NHTSA Chief Counsel Ann Carlson. “Today’s announcement is an important step forward in improving safety
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