The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) fundamental goal is to prevent crashes, injuries, and fatalities relating to commercial motor vehicles that are operated in the United States. An important step in achieving this goal is to identify unsafe motor carriers and prioritize enforcement attention on the segment of the transportation industry that pose the greatest risk to the motoring public.
One way FMCSA promotes highway safety is through the issuance of fines and penalties to non-compliant motor carriers and their drivers. These fines are periodically adjusted in response to inflationary pressures, and the latest adjustment took place on November 27, 2018.
A few of the typical categories of fines appearing in Appendix B to Part 386 of the Rules of Practice for FMCSA Proceedings are included below for your convenience.
As you can see, the range is quite broad.
|
Violation Description |
New penalty Level |
Previous Penalty Level |
|
Out-of-service order: Operation of CMV by driver |
$1,848 |
$1,811 |
|
Out-of-service order: Requiring or permitting operation of CMV by driver |
$18,477 |
$18,107 |
|
Out-of-service order: Operation by driver of CMV or intermodal equipment that was placed out-of-service |
$1,848 |
$1,811 |
|
Recordkeeping: Maximum penalty per day |
$1,239 |
$1,214 |
|
Recordkeeping: Maximum total penalty |
$12,383 |
$12,135 |
|
Knowing falsification of records |
$12,383 |
$12,135 |
|
Non-recordkeeping violations |
$15,040 |
$14,739 |
|
Non-recordkeeping violations by drivers |
$3,760 |
$3,685 |
|
Commercial driver’s license violations |
$5,591 |
$5,479 |
|
Violations of Hazardous Materials Regulations and Safety Permitting Regulations (transportation or shipment of hazmat) |
$79,976 |
$78,376 |
|
Violations of Hazardous Materials Regulations and Safety Permitting Regulations (transportation or shipment of hazmat) (minimum penalty) |
$481 |
$471 |
|
Violations of Hazardous Materials Regulations and Safety Permitting Regulations (training) (maximum penalty) |
$79,976 |
$78,376 |
|
Violations of Hazardous Materials Regulations and Safety Permitting Regulations (compliance with FMCSRs) |
$79 ,976 |
$78 ,376 |
|
Violations of Hazardous Materials Regulations and Safety Permitting Regulations (death, serious illness, severe injury to persons; destruction of property) |
$186,610 |
$182,877 |
|
Operating after being declared unfit by assignment of a final “unsatisfactory” safety rating (generally) |
$26,659 |
$26,126 |
|
Operating after being declared unfit by assignment of a final “unsatisfactory” safety rating (hazmat maximum penalty) |
$79,976 |
$78,376 |
|
Violations of the commercial regulations, property carriers |
$10,663 |
$10,450 |
Click here for a granular review of all the identified violations.
