FMCSA toughens stance on banned commercial drivers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is taking a tougher stance against commercial drivers with drug violations. It wants to prohibit state driver’s licensing agencies (SDLAs) from issuing, renewing, upg…
How to file on a broker’s surety bond
Three in four owner-operators report at least one incident of broker nonpayment and an effort at recourse. The most common action is filing a claim on the broker’s surety bond — find here a detailed how-to on the process.
ELDs: What can be done about your ‘jacked-up’ log when you forget to go PC
Does your ELD’s software allow reclassification of automatically recorded driving time as PC or a yard move? If it does, it may be set up out of compliance with the mandate. With most, if you forget to start personal conveyance mode and move the truck,…
How brokers, carriers can prevent business ID theft schemes
While it’s virtually impossible to stop someone from using your name once your identifying information is compromised, a few extra steps taken early by both brokers and/or carriers can immediately derail schemes involving business impersonation fraud.
‘You just lose’ when middlemen don’t pay: Broker reform eight years in the waiting
As bureaucrats ignore mandated freight finance reforms, insolvent brokers squeak by, and crooked brokers keep scamming. Owner-operators and small fleets suffer the consequences.
In defense of truckers? FMCSA interim boss Jim Mullen says he’s committed to hours of service reforms
As Mullen put it in his talk at last week’s Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association event: “We understand drivers need the flexibility to be as safe as they can. It’s clear the rigid rules do not work. We’re going to go forward with a final regu…
FMCSA extends ELDT deadline by 2 years
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended the compliance date for the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) from Feb. 7, 2020, to Feb. 7, 2022. “This action will provide FMCSA additional time to complete …
FMCSA punts driver training rule as it’s on the verge of taking effect
The rule was set to go into effect in just two weeks — Feb. 7, 2020. It is now scheduled to take effect Feb. 7, 2022. The rule was made final in early 2017, with a three-year window before it took effect to allow FMCSA, trainers, fleets and states tim…
U.S. approves oral fluid drug testing for truckers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Truck drivers could soon face oral fluid testing for controlled substances under a new directive from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The inclusion of oral fluid specimens to the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Wor…
FMCSA doubles random drug testing rate to 50%
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has raised the random drug testing rate for controlled substances for commercial drivers to 50% from the current 25% of driver positions. The change went into effect Jan. 1, an announcem…