Category: FMCSA

Safety Rating A safety rating is an evaluation of a motor carrier’s safety performance that is available to the carrier and the public. FMCSA issues one of three safety ratings: Satisfactory, Conditional, Unsatisfactory.

Safety Measurement System The web-based system FMCSA uses to collect data from roadside inspections, including driver and vehicle violations; crash reports from the last two years; and investigation results to identify motor carriers with safety problems to prioritize them for interventions.

Safety management controls The systems, policies, programs, practices, and procedures used by a motor carrier to ensure compliance with applicable safety and hazardous materials regulations.

Safety Audit An examination of a motor carrier’s operations to provide educational and technical assistance on safety and the operational requirements of the FMCSRs and applicable HMRs and to gather critical safety data needed to make an assessment of the carrier’s safety performance and basic safety management controls. Safety Audits do not result in safety… Continue reading Safety Audit

Roadside Inspection See Inspection. Roadside inspections may be conducted at a variety of locations, such as weigh stations, border checkpoints, bus terminals, or when a law enforcement official stops a CMV.

Refusal to submit (to an alcohol or controlled substances test) Means that a driver: Fails to appear for any test (except a pre-employment test) within a reasonable time, as determined by the employer, consistent with applicable DOT agency regulations, after being directed to do so by the employer. Fails to remain at the testing site… Continue reading Refusal to submit

Public liability The motor carrier’s responsibility for bodily injury, property damage, and environmental restoration following an accident.

Private motor carrier of passengers (non-business) Provides private interstate transportation of passengers not in furtherance of a commercial enterprise and is not available to the public at large. (Examples: civic organization, scout group, or other organization that purchases or leases a bus for the private transportation of their group.

Private motor carrier of passengers (business) Provides private interstate transportation of passengers in furtherance of a commercial enterprise and is not available to the public at large.

Owner–Operator A person who operates a CMV under his or her own authority (U.S. DOT Number), as both a motor carrier and self-employed driver.