Safety Corner

The Cost of Non-Compliance Just Increased

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.

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