14DecThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is exploring a device that would allow roadside enforcement to electronically identify and perhaps monitor the condition of drivers and commercial motor vehicles on the highway. But it is also raising a lot of questions. The federal truck regulator is considering requiring interstate CMVs
12DecThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has jurisdiction over the manufacturing standards for all new vehicles – cars, trucks, buses, and trailers. While the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tells motor carriers how they must operate and maintain today’s vehicles, NHTSA rulemakings tell manufacturers how to equip those
8DecThe FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is approaching its three-year anniversary. That means new rules are coming on Jan. 6, 2023. Motor carriers must conduct background investigations before hiring a driver. The process includes checking for drug and alcohol violations within the past three years. When the Federal Motor Carrier
1DecEach spring and fall, the federal government publishes its Unified Regulatory Agenda listing the status of current and intended rulemaking activities for federal agencies. While the Fall 2022 edition of the Unified Regulatory Agenda has yet to make an appearance, the U. S. Department of Transportation just released its Significant
28NovUnder federal law, a longer combination vehicle (LCV) is any combination of a truck-tractor and two or more semi-trailers or trailers operating on the Interstate Highways at a gross vehicle weight greater than 80,000 pounds. LCVs only operate under special permit on designated highways in several states and on certain
10NovState driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) have the task of implementing federal regulations on truck driver testing and licensing. Those requirements have increased recently with the establishment by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of an entry-level driver training (ELDT) program intended to standardize and enhance the training regimen for
7NovThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is looking to gather information on the regulations surrounding the lease and interchange of vehicles, according to a notice in the Federal Register. FMCSA seeks approval through an Information Collection Request (ICR), to continue requiring motor carriers who lease or interchange equipment with others
3NovIn February of this year, leaders from the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) wrote a joint letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, urging the USDOT to prioritize truck parking in its work with states and localities. A particular focus was on the
26OctIt’s become a caricature of today’s society – the human automatons, adorned with earbuds, eyes glued to cell phones. It has generated cartoons – the family at the dinner table, texting “pass the salt.” Technology has enveloped our life. For all its benefits – information, entertainment, automation – technology has,
18OctWhatever the political headlines of the day, federal agencies continue to add new trucking regulations, adopt new forms, and extend or discontinue previous waivers and exemptions. In this series, “Trucking Things to Know Now,” PrePass provides quick updates on regulatory developments, often with links to more information. HOS Waivers for
17OctThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a petition from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) to consider requiring all interstate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), trucks, and buses, to have devices installed that electronically transmit the identity of the vehicle. These “unique identification devices” (UIDs), also known as “universal
13OctNo matter if your trucking operation has just one truck, thousands of trucks, or is somewhere in between, having a lackluster or poor Department of Transportation (DOT) safety rating invites a world of problems. How? For starters, your DOT safety rating determines whether you are authorized to operate in interstate
