Federal Trucking Laws

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the trucking industry in the United States. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) codify the rules related to the operation of commercial motor vehicles and interstate transport. It sets the guidelines for the maintenance of vehicles and the parameters for drivers and operators of commercial motor vehicles.

Operators must adhere to the minimum requirements to operate a commercial motor vehicle, including the requirements and regulation with respect to hours of service, and minimum standards for drivers and motor carriers. Speak with an experienced federal truck lawyer to learn more about the Palm Beach Gardens federal trucking laws.

Burden on the Trucking Companies

The trucking companies are charged with an obligation to adhere to the minimum standards of the Palm Beach Gardens federal trucking laws put in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations regarding the operation of commercial motor vehicles in the United States. Trucking companies have the ultimate responsibility to make sure their drivers adhere to these standards and ensure that their vehicles are in compliance with the standards.

Mandatory Liability Coverage

The mandatory liability coverage covers all sorts of things such as life insurance of drivers, the requirements to operate a commercial motor vehicle, and the methods to ensure the safe operations of commercial motor vehicles. They apply to every person who operates a commercial motor vehicle for interstate and intrastate commerce and to all employers of such persons.

One must also understand that nothing in the FMCSR prohibits an employer from requiring and enforcing more stringent requirements relating to the states’ operation of its vehicles and the employees’ compliance with minimum standards. There are minimum driver qualification standards, hours of service of drivers, driver’s record of duty status, driver vehicle inspections, standards and record keeping for a vehicle, and record keeping for hours of service. The minimum requirements for insurance coverage are $750,000 in bodily injury coverage.

Complying with Regulations

Failure to comply with the Palm Beach Gardens federal trucking laws could result in danger for the driver and other drivers as well. These regulations are put in place to guarantee the safety of all drivers and to reinforce responsible habits. By not complying, a person may be putting their lives and the lives of others at risk.

One example is the requirement that vehicles have onboard certain safety equipment so that if the vehicle breaks down, the oncoming traffic using the roadway is alerted and the disabled vehicle does not become a hazard. There are certain things that need to be kept on board such as warning cones that must be set up in a particular manner.

Driving Logs

Drivers are required to keep logs and adhere to hours of service. However, there is some fraud in the system leading to excessive driving which results in driver fatigue and internally causes actions. Unless there is a federal motor carrier system, the Palm Beach Gardens federal trucking laws have certain requirements including the 13-hour rule regarding the amount of time one must have between drive times.