What Owner-Operators Need To Know

CSA for Commercial Motor Vehicle Fleets Manual 197-M

This manual is your complete guide to the new CSA initiative. Roadside inspections, safety evaluations, interventions and self-audits are thoroughly covered.

Developed specifically with your needs in mind, this section will help you answer tricky compliance questions and stay current on industry news and regulatory happenings. It's packed with information that can help you cut through the regulatory haze!

Compliance Tips

Roadside Inspections

Roadside inspections are a fact of life for owner-operators and other drivers. The main purpose of a roadside inspection is to give the commercial motor vehicle and its driver an on-the-spot safety check-up... Read More

DOT Alcohol and Drug Testing

DOT alcohol and drug testing can be one of those areas that trip up a motor carrier, especially an owner-operator who does not have the advantage of a support staff. If there is not a clear understanding of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), violations can result in fines and penalties... Read More

Documentation Checklist for DOT Safety

Operators of CMVs involved in intrastate commerce must comply with drug & alcohol, commercial driver's license (CDL), and most of the other safety regulations since nearly all states have adopted or have similar regulations to the FMCSRs. In some cases the applicability of the requirements may be different because some states use different weight limits from the federal regulations... Read More

Owner-Operator Permitting Requirements

This explanation is divided into two parts: 1) owner-operators as independent motor carriers, and 2) owner-operators leased to a motor carrier... Read More

The Basics of a Compliance Review

A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) compliance review involves the examination of "factors" to determine your compliance with the regulations. The key is documentation. You may do all the required steps to comply with the regulations, but if it is not documented, it will appear that you are not...Read More

Facts About Compliance Reviews

Many rumors surround the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) compliance reviews. "They had nothing better to do so they audited me," "Only the big companies get audited," "They shut down almost everyone they audit" and "No one ever passes," are examples of these rumors. Here are some facts about compliance reviews conducted in 2005... Read More