14JulWhatever 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. Spring 2022 Edition
11JulThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is upgrading rear underride guard standards. The recently completed rulemaking applies to newly-manufactured trailers and semitrailers with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or more. Previous Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) called for rear underride guards to withstand a 30 mph impact
30JunToward the end of 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may release a proposed rulemaking for fully-automated (autonomous) trucks, according to the head of FMCSA’s technology division. But considering the complexity of autonomous vehicles (AV) – both cars and trucks – that schedule is not locked in. Take, for
27JunThe first major revision of U.S. container trade laws since 1998 becomes law while drawing praise from the trucking industry. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA). In this time of contentious politics, the vote was bipartisan and overwhelming, 369-42, to adopt
23JunThe numbers are in: nine of the top 20 driver violations for 2022 relate to hours of service (HOS), plus 11 of the next 20. As motor carriers and truck drivers are well aware, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration pays the closest attention to HOS when measuring a carrier’s
20JunBy: Steve Vaughn, vice president of field operations, PrePass Safety Alliance I’ve been there. It’s not uncommon to pull a trucker over and hear him or her ask, “Why did you stop me?” Sometimes there is an easy answer. Other times it’s more complicated. Either way, it’s not uncommon for
15JunThis year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 10-16. Law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. will patrol roadways throughout that week, issuing warnings and citations to commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in unsafe driving behaviors. Officers will look for violations such as
2JunDiesel prices are at or near record highs and there is no indication as to when they may return to more typical levels. That creates a hardship on trucking operations of all sizes. Fortunately, there are some ways you can help reduce how much your motor carrier operation is spending
1JunUPDATED, Sept. 1, 2022 – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is responding to the COVID-19 variants and to supply chain challenges by again extending its emergency declaration. The updated emergency declaration now runs through Oct. 15, 2022. The prior emergency declaration expired on Aug. 31, 2022. Like the previous
30MayIn 2012, Congress passed the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, better known as MAP-21. Within that transportation bill, one section made it unlawful for any transportation entity – motor carrier, shipper, receiver, transportation intermediary – to coerce truck drivers to operate in violation of certain federal
23MayThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is creating a special task force to examine truck lease agreements. The group will look at lease and lease-purchase agreements among motor carriers, leasing companies, owner-operators, and drayage drivers. The Infrastructure Bill, passed in late 2021, granted FMCSA authority to create the Truck Leasing
18MayVehicle inspections range from minor inconveniences to major disruptions, depending on the inspection type and what inspectors find, stressed Steve Vaughn, vice president of field operations for PrePass, during the webinar “Improve Inspector Relationships. Improve Truck Inspection Results.” The former enforcement officer with the California Highway Patrol and past president
