Level 2 DOT Inspection: Ultimate Guide
What is a Level 2 Inspection? A level 2 DOT inspection is a type of roadside inspection conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and its state police officer partners. It is also known as a Walk-Around Driver and Vehicle Inspection. Officers will be reviewing the truck driver, company documents (like your DOT UCR…
Level 1 DOT Inspection: Ultimate Guide
What is a Level 1 DOT Inspection? A Level 1 DOT inspection is a comprehensive (37 step) inspection of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) and it’s driver that is conducted by a trained and certified CMV inspector. Article Updated: The inspection is designed to identify any safety defects or DOT violations that could potentially lead to an accident…
Florida Tort Reform
Florida Tort Reform Changes Tort reform has finally arrived as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping tort reform bill into law on March 24, 2023 and it has an immediate effective date. Let’s take a brief look at these new changes and then explore how this should help trucking companies. The Florida Tort Reform bill,…
DOT Tire Regulations: Ultimate Guide
DOT Tire Regulations ensure commercial truck tires meet safety standards, including tread depth and inflation. Governed by FMCSA, violations lead to trucks being sidelined. Key regulations cover tire conditions, flat tire issues, and maintenance practices. Regular inspections and adherence to tire safety guidelines are crucial for compliance and safety on the road.
34 Hour Reset: Your Ultimate Guide
What is the 34 Hour Reset and Why is it Important? As a truck driver or fleet owner, understanding the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations for the 34 hour reset can be very helpful. The FMCSA has specific limitations regarding how drivers can use the 34 hour reset to comply with maximum limits on…
Need A DOT Compliance Services Partner?
DOT compliance services are types of businesses that help trucking companies ensure that they comply with federal and state regulations related to the transportation of goods on public roads. Why Should You Consider Working With A DOT Compliance Services Company? Larger fleets will typically have an in-house safety manager or even a safety department and owner-operators…
DOT Post Accident Drug Testing Simplified
DOT Post Accident Drug Testing is mandated for commercial drivers involved in DOT reportable accidents, aiming to ensure they were not impaired during the incident. Tests must occur within specific timeframes: 32 hours for drugs and 8 hours for alcohol. Compliance is crucial to avoid penalties and enhance safety standards within the industry.
FMCSA CSA Changes
The FMCSA just announced their PROPOSED changes to the way their CSA system will prioritize trucking companies for intervention (see Compliance Review or DOT Audit). Now what? First, don’t panic. These changes were required to be made and nothing is set in stone yet. It will take at least 3 to 6 months for any changes…
Short Haul Exemption: Ultimate Guide
What is the Short Haul Exemption? The FMCSA hours of service (HOS) short-haul exemption allows certain commercial drivers to be exempt from some of the HOS rules that apply to long-haul truckers. The most important relief being that these drivers don’t have to log their hours of service with an Electronic Logging Device (ELD ). These…
Adverse Driving Conditions (Ultimate Guide)
The adverse conditions exception to the standard Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hours of service regulations refers to a regulatory provision that allows commercial truck drivers to exceed the maximum number of hours they can drive in a day by up to 2 hours under certain road or weather conditions. Article Updated: What is the…
Personal Conveyance: Ultimate Guide
Personal conveyance is when a truck driver uses their truck for personal purposes when they are not “on-duty”. According to FMCSA, personal conveyance is “the movement of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal use while off-duty that does not benefit the company financially.” While the statement may sound simple, navigating the requirements may be…
Level 3 DOT Inspection (Ultimate Guide)
A level 3 DOT inspection is a type of inspection conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and its state partners. It is also known as a Driver-Only Inspection. This roadside inspection is the least intrusive of the six levels (or 8 levels) of DOT roadside inspections. What is Level 3 Inspection? Basically, a…
Preventing Air Brake System Leaks
Air Brake System hose and tubing violations are the second most common vehicle maintenance violation cited during DOT inspections. Every year, nearly 250,000 trucks and trailers are flagged for issues under 49 CFR 393.45 or 396.3 — and many of these violations could have been prevented with routine inspections. In this guide, we’ll break down…
Avoid These 5 Deadly DOT Violations
Avoiding DOT violations is harder than ever for truck drivers and trucking company owners. The key to avoiding DOT violations is to avoid unwanted attention from law enforcement! Sounds easy enough, right? I know it’s not as easy as it sounds. Here, we’ll outline 5 of the most common DOT violations and share some actionable…
How Long A Return To Duty Process Takes
Did you or one of your truck drivers just fail a DOT drug test or alcohol test? If so, one of the most important questions that you probably have is ” How long does a return to duty process take? “ The FMCSA Return To Duty process takes at least 12 months from start to…