Safety & Compliance

Small-fleet owner banned from operating by FMCSA after multiple violations

The owner of two small Montana-based trucking companies was effectively shut down after allowing a 16-year-old to drive a truck across state lines, among other safety violations. Also: HHG mover pleads guilty to scam conspiracy.

February 11, 2021

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Carriers increasingly under remote scrutiny by investigators

As with many other pandemic-driven aspects of the world that developed in 2020, the U.S. DOT and its state enforcement partners turned to remote options to conduct safety audits of trucking companies.

February 8, 2021

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Annual Roadcheck inspection blitz to focus on lighting, HOS compliance

CVSA's International Roadcheck will be held May 4-6, and inspectors will give special focus to lighting systems and drivers' hours of service. Also: TFI announces another acquisition; Henniff purchases Canadian liquid bulk carrier.

February 3, 2021

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Trucking is a dangerous job ... and it's our own fault

Regardless of how hard a customer pushes us for an aggressive delivery timetable, we cannot permit shortcuts or unduly pressure drivers.

January 14, 2021

Compared with passenger cars and light trucks, large trucks have a much lower rate per mile traveled of crashes resulting in nonfatal injuries or property damage only, according to IIHS.

Early ELD analysis shows uptick in certain HOS violations since new regs, dip in 30-min. break flags

A before-and-after analysis of driver logbook data by EROAD shows the preliminary impacts of the FMCSA revised hours-of-service rule. See CCJ for details.

November 18, 2020

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Channeling safety: Fleets change data strategies to reduce risk

How have events in 2020 acted as a catalyst for fleets to revisit their data strategies for driver safety and FMCSA compliance? Read CCJ to find out.

November 16, 2020

CRST is using Fleetworthy’s customer-facing web portal, Comply 2.0, to monitor where the fleet stands on compliance and where to focus attention.

PSP reports and their value to fleets

Pulling PSP reports is an affordable way to go above and beyond what is required for safety, and while it may seem like enough of a challenge to simply keep up with the minimum requirements for compliance, I try my best to go the extra mile when possible to keep our safety record in good condition.

November 9, 2020

To help smooth inspections, Omnitracs and EROAD help update guidelines on ELDs records transfers

The companies' efforts have resulted in an updated CVSA’s Inspection Bulletin on U.S. Electronic Logging Devices. Find out more information here on CCJ.

October 28, 2020

The updated Inspection Bulletin for ELDs will help to resolve areas of confusion for inspecting drivers’ Record of Duty Status.

Drivers on many days might be able to skip 30-minute break under new HOS regs

Under the new FMCSA hours of service regulations, the mandatory 30-minute break can be taken during any status that isn't on-duty driving. Details on CCJ.

September 28, 2020

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Starting next week, drivers will be able to pause their 14-hour clock under new HOS regs — here’s how

The updated hours of service rule will offer drivers the option to pause their 14-hour on-duty clocks for periods of several hours per shift. Details on CCJ.

September 21, 2020

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Commentary: Tips for preparing drivers for roadside inspections

One of the most important things you can do to ensure a smooth interaction during a roadside inspection is to have a good preventive maintenance program.

September 18, 2020

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New hours of service rule takes effect in just two weeks — Here’s a primer on what’s changing

Get an overview of what's changing with the new hours of service rule taking effect on Sept. 29, 2020. Details on CCJ.

September 15, 2020

ELDs have been the impetus for motor carriers moving to time-based driver pay models.

Getting blitzed: Lighting violations continue to place trucks out of service

Pre-trip inspections can help identify issues with lights on the trucks in your fleet. To keep your trucks on the road, follow these five steps on CCJ.

September 3, 2020

Getting blitzed: Cargo securement violations can turn deadly

The top five violations for the annual CVSA blitz are failure to prevent shifting/loss of load; failure to secure truck equipment; damaged tie downs; insufficient number of tie downs; and loose tie downs.

September 2, 2020

Flatbed operations bear the brunt of cargo-related CSA concerns simply because of the visibility of their loads and securement devices.

Getting blitzed: Accounting for more than 80% of OOS violations last year, driver requirements the target of this year’s Roadcheck

Education and preparation are what truck drivers should focus on most this year to avoid OOS violations as the CVSA plans to crack down on driver requirements.

August 31, 2020

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At roadside, inspectors are asking more drivers, fleets to transfer e-log data remotely

An FMCSA official advises fleets to make sure drivers know how to do a data transfer so that inspections go smoothly. See the details in CCJ.

August 28, 2020

Ensure your drivers know how to transfer e-log data to inspectors at roadside via the web transfer method, said FMCSA enforcement chief Joe DeLorenzo this week in a webinar hosted by Trimble. That will help the interaction go smoothly and prevent frustration at roadside by drivers and inspection officers, he said.

With expanded authority, FMCSA ramps up offsite compliance reviews of motor carriers

As part of the COVID-19 emergency declaration, the FMCSA in increasing the number of offsite compliance reviews of motor carriers’ records and safety practices.

August 25, 2020

Safety auditors, whether from FMCSA or a state office, will ping carriers with an email letting them know an investigation is underway. Carriers can follow-up with the department to verify the audit is legitimate. Turn-around times on investigators’ request for fleet records is often swift — just a week. “It’s typically a really short process,” said attorney Lesley Sachs. “The whole thing is wrapped up from start to finish within two weeks.”

Changes in workforce shift fleet demand for compliance outsourcing

During the coronavirus crisis, fleets have outsourced more office tasks for compliance and asked providers for help to analyzing their data. Read CCJ for more

June 17, 2020

J.J. Keller’s Managed Services group offers reporting and consulting for fleet compliance.

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Efficient document management and digitization are becoming vital to the survival strategy of motor carriers.

Digitizing paper for trucking success

Efficient document management is quickly becoming a vital survival strategy.

The toughest 15 states for lights violations, one of the 2021 Roadcheck emphases

Airflow is continuously handed down the tractor and trailer until it reaches the end, making a systematic approach to aerodynamics important.

Pete's refreshed 579 all-in on aero, tech

Tight capacity has caused spot rates to spike from already elevated levels, and contract rates are rising, leaving fleets with plenty of cash to spend on new trucks.

Fleets standing in line for new trucks as freight rates climb

Goodyear Launches Fleet Central, an Interactive Portal that Revolutionizes

Goodyear Launches Fleet Central, an Interactive Portal that Revolutionizes

Get all the info on the top 250 trucking companies in America

View, sort and download the trucking industry’s most comprehensive ranking of for-hire carriers in North America, based on a blend of metrics including fleet size, annual revenue and number of drivers.

Take Control of Toll: How Violations Work and How to Minimize Fleet Impact

With the rapid adoption of cashless tolling across the country and the associated benefit in transponder deployment for operations and the company’s bottom line, it is now more important than ever for fleets to develop an informed toll management strategy