Expert Insights on DOT Compliance
In-depth analysis, regulatory updates, and practical compliance guidance from transportation attorneys and industry experts.
FMCSA rule changes for 2023?
2022 was a big year for trucking and a fairly busy one for regulators. We saw a lot of new rules come out of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) this year, including most notably the Entry Level Driver Training regulations from February. But with 2022 coming to a close, the question is what’s in store for 2023 from a regulatory perspective. That's what we're discussing in this article. It's no surprise that highway transportation is very heavily regulated, at least from a sa
Brandon Wiseman
2022 in Review: Top Trucksafe Content
2022 was a big year for the trucking industry and a busy one for us at Trucksafe! We met a lot of great carriers and safety professionals this year and were honored to help our carrier clients on a number of compliance-related projects. We produced and published well over 100 hours of DOT-related content across our various platforms. We developed a couple of new courses through our Trucksafe Academy. We launched our Trucksafe Compliance Network and hosted a bunch of free educational webinars. We
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA proposes to scale back regulatory relief during declared emergencies
According to a notice scheduled to be published in the Federal Register soon, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is proposing to "narrow the scope of regulations from which relief is provided automatically for motor carriers providing direct assistance when an emergency has been declared."For decades, the agency's regulations have granted fairly broad regulatory relief to those providing direct assistance to "emergency relief efforts" following emergency declarations issued
Brandon Wiseman
5 steps to improve your out of service rates
Out of service rates are important metrics for regulated motor carriers. These rates, which are publicly available on each carrier’s SAFER profile, indicate how frequently a carrier’s vehicles and drivers are being placed out of service (i.e., prohibited from operating) for serious violations during roadside inspections. As we detailed in a previous article, out of service rates are one of five critical safety metrics that fleets should be closely monitoring and working to improve. High rates ca
Brandon Wiseman
Trucksafe featured on Taking the Hire Road
Trucksafe's president Brandon Wiseman joined DriverReach's Jeremy Reymer on a recent episode of FreightWaves' Taking the Hire Road podcast to discuss upcoming changes to the driver qualification process stemming from full implementation of the federal Drug/Alcohol Clearinghouse. Read more and catch the replay here. About Trucksafe Consulting, LLC: Trucksafe Consulting is a full-service DOT regulatory compliance consulting and training service. We help carriers develop, implement, and improve the
Applicability of federal motor carrier regulations to passenger operations
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the federal agency charged with regulating the interstate operation of commercial motor vehicles. It does so through its promulgation and enforcement of its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) in title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 390-399. The manner in which the FMCSA regulates property carriers differs from the way it regulates passenger carriers. As addressed in a prior article, the applicability of the F
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA clarifies key brokerage definitions
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), at the direction of the U.S. Congress, has issued regulatory guidance aimed at clarifying the statutory and regulatory definitions of the terms "broker" and "bona fide agent." As explained in the agency's November 15, 2022 notice, this "interim guidance [is intended] to inform the public and regulated entities about FMCSA’s interpretation of the definitions of 'broker' and 'bona fide agents' as it relates to all brokers of transportation b
Brandon Wiseman
Changes in store for the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse?
On January 6, 2023, the federal Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse will have been in effect for three years. That's an important milestone for a f
Brandon Wiseman
How to improve your CSA scores
CSA scores are a big deal for regulated motor carriers. High CSA scores can lead to increased insurance premiums, lost business, and heightened exposure in highway accident litigation. Keeping your scores as low as possible is important, but how do you do it? That's the million dollar question. Although the answer is pretty straightforward, it's unfortunately not what most fleets want to hear. Lowering your CSA scores (and keeping them low) takes time and effort. There is no magic wand. There ar
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