Expert Insights on DOT Compliance
In-depth analysis, regulatory updates, and practical compliance guidance from transportation attorneys and industry experts.
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
How DOT compliance affects mergers & acquisitions
Trucksafe's president Brandon Wiseman recently joined the Tenney Group's In The Hot Seat podcast to discuss how DOT compliance can impact transportation-related mergers & acquistions. "Not enough private equity groups or carriers, in my experience, are even looking as heavily at DOT compliance as they should be. We encounter so many situations where we are coming in after the fact. A carrier has acquired another motor carrier and now they're coming to us saying ‘we've got all these problems,’ an
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
Understanding roadside inspection reports
If you or your commercial driver have been stopped for a roadside inspection, it’s likely you’ve received a Driver/Vehicle Examination Report (DVER), also known as a roadside inspection report. These DVERs are standardized reports prepared by law enforcement following a commercial vehicle and/or driver inspection, which detail the level of inspection performed and any violations discovered. The reports are important for many reasons, so we will break them down line by line in this article. Downl
Brandon Wiseman
Wiseman joins FreightWaves to discuss broker liability
Trucksafe’s president Brandon Wiseman recently joined FreightWaves to discuss recent developments in the legal landscape surrounding broker liability for highway accidents. The panel discussed recent federal court cases from the 9th, 11th, and 7th Circuit Courts of Appeal, including the recent Ye v. GlobalTranz case, which held that a plaintiff's negligent hiring claim against a freight broker was preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA). Catch the replay below!
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
Wiseman addresses fleet safety & compliance at FreightWaves Fleet Summit
Trucksafe's president Brandon Wiseman recently presented on DOT safety & compliance at the FreightWaves Enterprise Fleet Summit. Wiseman joined host Anthony Smith to discuss some of the most pressing compliance issues faced by fleets today, including hours-of-service violations, CBD use among drivers, offsite DOT audits, and much more. Catch the replay below!About Trucksafe Consulting, LLC: Trucksafe Consulting is a full-service DOT regulatory compliance consulting and training service. We help
PHMSA contemplating several revisions to Hazardous Materials Regulations
The Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA)--the federal agency that regulates the multi-modal transportation of hazmat--is proposing several potentially-significant revisions to its Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs), according to an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) published on July 5, 2023. According to the Notice, "PHMSA is publishing this ANPRM to solicit stakeholder feedback on initiatives PHMSA is considering that may modernize the Hazardous Materials Regul
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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