Why Reasonable Suspicion Training For Managers Is So Important
One of the most difficult things about reasonable suspicion testing for supervisors is the fear of being wrong when "accusing" an employee of using drugs or alcohol, but the profound…
What FMCSA Hopes To Learn From Proposed Split Sleeper Pilot Program
In January, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced they will be exploring further flexibility for team drivers by evaluating 6/4 and 5/5 sleeper berth split options in a…
Construction and Landscapers OSHA/DOT Requirements To Meet By Spring 2021
As we slowly come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction and landscaping industries are poised to start the spring season with many new safety requirements. Safety requirements are not…
Common DOT Compliance Issues For Waste Haulers
Waste and recycling haulers mostly drive intrastate, or within a commercial zone, and many troopers do not pull them in for roadside inspections, but fleets still need to be prepared…
Lessons Learned One Year After Launch of Drug and Alcohol CDL Clearinghouse
Last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) increased its random drug testing rate of CDL drivers from 25% to 50%, effective January 1, 2020. For the random drug…
CVSA INTERNATIONAL ROADSIDE DOT INSPECTION READINESS (2021)
2021 DOT Inspection Readiness The annual International Roadcheck conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is a high-visibility reminder of the importance of commercial motor vehicle safety. The 2021 International Roadcheck…
CDL Driver Preparation for a DOT Physical Exam and Possible Disqualifications
The entire process for getting a DOT physical goes much smoother for both the examiner and the driver when drivers are prepared for the physical exam. Department of Transportation (DOT)…
What To Expect During A New Entrant Audit
In 2020, the FMCSA and state enforcers may have conducted over 50% of all compliance reviews remotely where just 10% were conducted in 2019 and 2% in 2018. To ensure…
Can Carriers Legally Have 2 DOT Numbers?
Are all carriers with multiple DOT numbers trying to cheat the system? The short answer is no. Over the years, the Department of Transportation has been cracking down on carriers…
DOT Increases Fines and Includes Civil Penalties of CDL Clearinghouse Violations
As of January 11, 2021, the DOT gives authority to issue fines for violating Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse requirements. This new year brings the annual changes to the U.S. Department…
Where Trucking Regulations Stand As We Enter 2021 With A New Administration
As we transition from a Republican agenda to a Democrat agenda with Biden coming into office, there is potential for substantial impact within the trucking industry in the coming years. …
Off-Duty Driving: FMCSA Denies Personal Conveyance Mileage Clarification
In May 2020, following the announced proposed Hours of Service rule changes, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) petitioned to update the definition of personal conveyance and include a mileage limit.…
3 Ways Fuel Haulers Can Reduce Risk and Insurance Premiums
Roughly one-quarter of all freight hauled in the United States is transported in tanker trucks, and of that, nearly half is petroleum products like gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel. Hauling…
Ag hauler HOS Exemption Clarification Goes into Effect
FMCSA’s rule went into effect on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, clarifying ag hauler definitions in the hours-of-service regulations. Drivers transporting agricultural commodities within 150 air miles of the source--during harvest and planting…
Medical Card and CDL Extension Pushed To Feb 28
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration extended a waiver through May 31, 2021, giving drivers more time to renew expired CDLs, CLPs and med certs because of difficulty scheduling DOT…
PA Transportation Bill Requires Stricter Incident Reporting for CDL Holders
Pennsylvania passed a bill last month requiring stricter non-parking incident reporting requirements on holders of commercial driver licenses (CDL) driving a commercial motor vehicle. There are 5 main incident reporting…
How HHS Hair Testing Proposal Falls Short and When To Expect DOT Hair Testing
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) just wrapped up their 60-day comment period on their long-anticipated proposed hair testing guidelines. Since 2015, when Congress mandated HHS to release…
PennDOT Approves Tolls for 9 Bridges in Long-Term Maintenance Funding Model
PennDOT is moving forward with tolling of nine interstate bridges across the state through a progressive public-private partnership (P3) with the approved initiative for a period of likely 30 years…
Understand Three Important Trucking Tools For Hiring and Roadside Inspections
The DataQ System can help fight and remove incorrect records that could be keeping your scores or insurance rates high. Every year the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) releases the…
Truckers Voting 2020: Some States Offer Same Day Voter Registration and In-Person Voting
It's not too late to register and vote in-person in many states. For long-haul truckers, in-person voting can be hard to schedule on Election Day, but even so, FreightWaves recent…
Spotted Lanternfly Permit Renewals and Fall Prevention For Fleets
Fall brings the insects life stage to adults and egg masses are present. After storing up the summer warmth and energy, they are beginning to swarm. This invasive plant hopper…
Major CDL Clearinghouse Deadline Approaching or Face Fines
According to Landline Magazine on Dec 30, several owner-operators are experiencing difficulties registering for FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and that they haven’t found any help through the agency’s 800…
FMCSA Proposes Under-21 Interstate Pilot Program, Expanding Military Driver Program
In the last few years, the number of younger truck drivers has been decreasing, according to a recent study by the American Transportation Research Institute.This means the trucking industry is…
Electric and autonomous semi-trucks beyond 2020
2020 has been a year of validating the future of electronic vehicles and testing of autonomous long-haul driving. Electronic and autonomous trucking will be here quicker than you think. Don’t…
IFTA Fuel Tax Rate Changes Q3 2020
With 11 states showing a tax rate change, the Q3 IFTA return due date is October 31st. What are the 2020 IFTA tax rates for the 3rd quarter? The International…
2020 Hours of Service Rule Changes and their Effect on Trucker Workdays
With new HOS rules on the horizon, it is time to start training company drivers so they understand how their workday will improve. This week will be the first time…
Fully Encompassing FMCSA Waiver Extending Renewals and More Until 2021
The waivers have been extended to May 31, 2021 and include vaccine distribution. After 6 months of the COVID-19 health emergency, most states that reopened their State Driver Licensing Agencies…
School Bus Safety Tips for Drivers and Child Safety
School Bus Safety Driving Tips for Motorists According to the American School Bus Council, students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a school…
FMCSA suspends hours of service regulations for West Coast wildfire relief haulers
On Thursday, September 10, 2020 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued an emergency declaration for Washington, Oregon, and California due to the current wildfires sweeping the West Coast, which…
Colorado is the earliest chain law state, starting September 1
Unpredictable weather systems can happen anytime, however snow often begins sticking to high-elevation routes in Colorado as early as mid- to late September. According to Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT),…
