What is FMCSA compliance?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration holds motor carriers and drivers responsible for meeting safety standards and regulations. Carriers can find their data stored on FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS), which they use to track the number, severity, and date of safety violations, as well as crash and inspection data. Data is derived from unsafe driving, crash indicator, Hours of Service (HOS) compliance, vehicle maintenance, controlled substances/alcohol, hazardous materials compliance, and driver fitness. The FMCSA makes available a compliance manual to help companies operating CMVs comply. The FMCSA Compliance Manual can be downloaded here.
Who reports violations to the Clearinghouse?
Employers and Medical Review Officers (MROs) are both required to report drug and alcohol program violations in the Clearinghouse per § 382.705. Employers can hire a consortium/third-party administrator (C/TPA) in the Clearinghouse, such as DISA, to assist with meeting these reporting requirements; however, the employer retains ultimate responsibility for compliance. According to the Clearinghouse, employers are responsible for reporting the following:
• An alcohol confirmation test with a concentration of 0.04 or higher
• Refusal to test (alcohol) as specified in 49 CFR § 40.261
• Refusal to test (drug) not requiring a determination by the MRO as specified in 49 CFR § 40.191
• Actual knowledge of a drug or alcohol violation, as defined in 49 CFR § 382.107
MROs are responsible for reporting the following:
• Verified positive, adulterated, or substituted drug test result
• Refusal to test (drug) requiring a determination by the MRO as specified in 49 CFR § 40.191
Are social security numbers (SSNs) required to run a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR)?
Requirements to run an MVR can vary by state and can include a SSN, Driver's license number, employee name, date of birth, etc.
Where exactly should we put our Spotted Lanternfly permit on our semi-tractor cab?
As of last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture no longer distributes stickers or window hangs, instead a paper permit must be kept in the vehicle at all times.