7MarDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued several waivers to allow continued testing and skill evaluation of applicants for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) despite the closure of some state driver licensing offices and the temporary absence of state employees. Now, at the urging of the
28FebSpeed limiters, automatic emergency braking, the Department of Labor’s definition of “employee” … fleet managers must keep up to date with changes in these federal regulations and many others. They are important. So, too, are a whole other set of regulatory changes – those at the state level. Some state-level
14FebThe U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a new Significant Rulemaking Report and in it are several items of great interest to both truck drivers and motor carriers. A “significant” rulemaking is defined in the Congressional Review Act as: “one that has resulted in or is likely to result
12FebBypassing weigh stations using PrePass is a game-changer for qualified motor carriers of all sizes. After all, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) calculates that every successful bypass saves a motor carrier an average of five minutes in time, a half-gallon of fuel, and another $5 in operational costs.
7FebSome truck drivers and motor carriers could suddenly find that the certified medical examiners they have used for required physicals are no longer registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). A recent notice from the FMCSA says medical examiners have until Feb. 23, 2024 to register with Login.gov
6FebBy Warren Hoemann, PrePass consultant, former FMCSA chief counsel and deputy administrator In late 2023, the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston upheld a lower court decision, ruling that sleeper berth time beyond eight hours in a team driver operation was compensable. The case involved a motor carrier’s truck
1FebWhatever 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. 2024 is here
29JanThe California Air Resources Board (CARB) dreams of a world where all trucks, whether based in California or not, will be zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by the year 2036. To achieve that goal, CARB adopted the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation in April 2023. CARB hoped to take steps toward that
25JanThe U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently published its 339-page final rule on how it will consider workers “employees” or “independent contractors” using a multi-factor approach. The DOL final rule is based on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA sets the federal minimum wage rate for all hours
8JanEffective Nov. 18, 2024, commercial vehicle drivers in a “prohibited” status in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse will lose their commercial driving privileges unless they complete the return-to-duty (RTD) process. The “prohibited” clearinghouse status means that a person holding a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or
3JanThe year 2023 wrapped up with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other federal agencies leaving a lot of unfinished business when it comes to trucking regulations. That means both truck drivers and fleet managers can expect an avalanche of proposals and final rules in 2024. Listen to this
28DecAs busy as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and other federal regulatory agencies were during 2023, they couldn’t finalize everything on their rulemaking agendas in one calendar year. So, 2024 will offer the continuation of many rulemakings from 2023. Will these
