08 Mar Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
In the beginning of 2000, the Department of Transportation created FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), with its central purpose being all things safety measure regarding motor carriers, both passenger and non-passenger. The FMCSA’s website (www.fmcsa.dot.gov) is a wonderful resource of information, and is applicable for anybody who ought to know the regulations. Maybe you’re looking to open a commercial ground-carrying business or run a tour company with a fleet of motorcoaches. You perhaps a city council member assigned to dealing with the transportation concerns within your city, or a higher up in a department store corporation that negotiates directly with how your company receives shipments. No matter what the reason, this site has all the information you’re searching for.
Some essential basics are probably the place to start if you’re just getting your feet wet. Here are a few practical links within FMCSA’s website that can answer some initial questions you may have:
When you’re aiming to figure out what kind of vehicle certifies as a CMV, this is a handy reference. Check out this link and scroll down until you locate the definition for Commercial Motor Vehicle. A vehicle is designated as a CMV based on its weight or function or what it’s being used for, and this page clearly delineates this information so you can be clear on it: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/390.5.
There are requirements available for how long a driver may be on shift, physically driving. These rules are set with protection in mind, wishing to avoid exhausted drivers and potential accidents. The regulations are different for whether the driver is carrying passengers or non-passenger freight. Check out this link for the details: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations.
When you’re running CMVs, your drivers must regularly submit inspection reports of each vehicle they drove when they had shift, consisting of reporting any issues they may have had about the vehicle’s safety. The requirements regarding this statute are listed here: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/396.11.
This link has all the regulations in one spot. Determine the ruling on having your drivers tested for drugs and alcohol, such as, how each CMV has to be labeled, or the types of forms that are used in checkups. For any questions you might have, be sure to check out this useful link: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/b/5/3/list.
For any reason you might want to be up-to-date on CMVs and related information, this website is certainly your go-to! Having everything in one place is practical, easy to reference, and a simple resource to check out if you’ve got a question.