DOT Proposes Additional Rules for Trucking Industry in 2014

28 Apr DOT Proposes Additional Rules for Trucking Industry in 2014

The United States Department of Transportation is considering some new rules related to the trucking industry.

There is always a need for changes as new technology and even transportation routines change, and the US DOT expects new developments in this area over the remainder of 2014. If you’re planning to enter the trucking industry and earn recession resistant non-retail commercial income, be sure to keep an eye out on any changes that could soon be implemented. You may also need to schedule a Full Service Semi Truck Repair and regular winch truck services for the maintenance of your truck fleet.

The Need for Change

The new rules the Department of Transportation have on the table pertain to driver coercion, identifying specific carriers that are problematic, and the implementation of speed limiters. Another important item on the agenda is the possibility of raising the minimum insurance coverage for trucking companies.

The White House’s office of Management and Budget has before them a rule intended to help prevent driver coercion. While this rule is expected to clear this month, there is no final word on its release yet. Before the rule is published, it must be cleared through OMB.

The new rule under consideration is unique because it regulates the method of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the creation of future rules. The agency must evaluate how future rules will affect driver coercion as it relates to shippers, receivers, brokers, or truck carriers. After publication of the new rule, there will be a period of 60 days until the public will be require to begin implementation of these new processes.

Additional Changes

Another rule that may soon see some action relates to the implementation of a “Safety Fitness Determination” for carriers. Under this rule, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) would have the power to produce a score for the various carriers which will make it easier for them to target companies that are repeatedly guilty of safety interventions. The data that they would use for the score would resemble the information that the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program used for the Safety Measurement System. The Department of Transportation anticipates the rule will appear before the Office of the Secretary of Transportation on or before May 6 and move to the OMB no later than June 6.

Another rule under consideration is one requiring heavy trucks to use speed limiters. The FMCSA made an announcement of this rule in March, and DOT anticipates it will arrive at the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) on May 21 and the OMB on or before the 26^th of June. All trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds will be required to adhere to the rule on speed limiters. No details concerning the speed or speeds the new rule will require are available at the present time.

If everything adheres to the schedule presently anticipated, the FMCSA will publish the rule addressing speed limiters on September 16, and the public will have 90 days to comment and implement the rule.

The FMCSA has also recently released plans to create a rulemaking team to assess and determine minimum insurance levels for carriers. The administration notified Congress the current minimum of $1 million is insufficient to cover the damages in many trucking accidents.

All of these new rules are necessary in order to protect the public. Costs have risen substantially over the years, so increasing the minimum limits for insurance can only create positive results for those involved.