Finally, applicants must also provide a valid and current driver's license. If the driver has a valid CDL, that suffices, otherwise the applicant must also successfully complete a road test in the type of vehicle being operated. Drivers must adhere to proper hours of service HOS regulations for safety and optimal performance, as per DOT regulations for trucks. These regulations apply to truck drivers, commercial and city bus drivers, and school bus drivers who operate CMVs.
These rules limit the number of daily and weekly hours spent driving and working, and regulate the minimum amount of time drivers must spend resting between driving shifts. For intrastate commerce, the respective state's regulations apply. The HOS's main purpose is to prevent accidents caused by driver fatigue.
This is accomplished by limiting the number of driving hours per day, and the number of driving and working hours per week. Hours of service rules are strictly implemented because they can lead to the safety of drivers and others on the road. It's the reason why any violations involve hefty fines and penalties.
At the minimum, officers will ask drivers to park roadside until they have completed enough off-duty hours to be able to drive again. More severe violations will involve fees. Criminal charges can even be brought against both the driver and carrier if there is an intention to violate HOS rules.
With the recent medical crisis, moving essential goods and health equipment is now more crucial than ever for fleet operators. Trucking carriers have the responsibility of guaranteeing fleet safety for their drivers so they can continually support the frontliners in fighting the pandemic.
Lytx Compliance Services help fleets achieve this much more efficiently. Lytx is the trusted provider of…. That means that a heavy-duty pickup truck, such as a Ford F, pulling a small axle trailer with a tractor on it must comply with the federal regulations. Even if that vehicle is being used for non-commercial purposes, it may fall under the FMCSR requirements.
In a commercial enterprise, the federal guidelines apply to everyone involved in the operation of the commercial motor vehicle, not just the drivers. Those regulations also apply to dispatchers, managers, hiring managers, trainers, and supervisors. Even driver trainees must be in compliance with the regulations.
Information from inspections and mini-compliance reviews conducted at weigh stations are immediately entered into a database, and companies with a greater number of violations are more likely to be audited. Failing to learn and comply with all aspects of the regulations can be a costly mistake; the consequences of not being in compliance can range from fines for failed roadside inspections to being shut down for more serious infractions.
Depending on the violation, the fines can be extremely hefty and cause financial problems for your business. Learning the safety regulations and ensuring your company is compliant is particularly important if a driver in your fleet has a serious crash. Assuming you do not trigger DOT regulations by weight, take only indirect payment and are operating a vehicle that is meant for 9 to 15 passengers including the driver , there are federal exceptions that you can take advantage of as long as you are an interstate operation.
More on that in a bit. In some states regulations for intrastate operations are different. For example, in California, if you operate a truly intrastate fleet you will trigger DOT regs with just 10 passengers which will require your drivers to have a CDL, even if you are a non-profit organization such as a church.
Drivers in an intrastate or interstate passenger carrier fleet who reside and drive in California are required to have a CDL endorsement on their license, which triggers record keeping requirements for your company.
This gets confusing for all concerned. Looking at this from a Federal standpoint again, states will have different requirements for intrastate operations , there are exceptions to some DOT regulations when payment is indirect and the vehicle is designed to haul 9 to 15 passengers. This means that if your company does not transport passengers for a direct fee, but rather may transport passengers as part of a tour package, or as an incidental part of what you are doing without charging a separate fee, these exceptions can save you time and money.
Remember from Part 1 of this series that as soon as you hook up a trailer and the combination GVWR is over 10, pounds, all exceptions go away.
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