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FEATURED NEWS
2026-05-12T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsInternational Registration Plan (IRP)Temporary trip permitsFocus AreaIn-Depth ArticleFleet OperationsEnglishTransportationRegistration and Permits - Motor CarrierUSA
Your cab card is not one size fits all (states)
If you’ve ever looked closely at your apportioned cab card, you may have noticed that not every state lists the same maximum weight. One jurisdiction might show 90,000 pounds, another 80,000, and others even lower. Is that a mistake? Usually not. But understanding what those numbers mean can help you avoid tickets, out-of-service orders, and audit headaches.
Why weights vary by state
Under the International Registration Plan (IRP), carriers register vehicles at declared weights for each participating jurisdiction. The weight shown for each state reflects what you paid to operate in that jurisdiction. It’s not a blanket authorization to run that weight everywhere.
Several factors drive the differences:
- State maximums: States allow defined maximum weights on their roads, and they’re not necessarily the same as what neighboring states allow.
- Axle and configuration limits: Some states may allow heavier weights with specific axle spacing or configurations.
- The registration weight you declared (and paid for): If you only declared 80,000 pounds for a particular state to reduce your registration fees, that’s the limit the cab card will show, even if the state allows more. Carriers often declare lower weights in some states to reduce IRP fees.
- Permits vs. registration: Higher weights often require overweight permits, which do not appear on the cab card.
What enforcement looks at
At roadside, enforcement is less concerned with why weights differ and more concerned with three things:
- Are you operating within your registered weight for that state? If your cab card says 80,000 for that jurisdiction, running heavier without a valid permit is a violation.
- Does your axle configuration comply with state law? Even if your total weight is within your registered weight, improper axle spacing can still put you over legal limits.
- Do you have required permits in-hand or electronically available? Operating under an overweight permit but failing to have the permit available during a roadside inspection can lead to citations or temporary out-of-service orders until proof is provided.
A common misconception is that enforcement defaults to 80,000 pounds. In reality, officers rely on what is printed on your cab card for each jurisdiction, combined with state axle laws and permit requirements.
Before crossing a state line, check:
- The cab card row for that state,
- Your current gross weight, and
- Whether a permit is required and available.
Avoid these mistakes
Common carrier mistakes include:
- Assuming the highest weight on the cab card applies everywhere,
- Running permit-only weights without a permit because the cab card shows a higher number in another state,
- Failing to update registered weights after changes in equipment or operations, and
- Letting drivers guess instead of helping them understand how to read the cab card correctly.
Key to remember: Your cab card is a state-by-state permission slip, not a universal weight pass. Understanding why the numbers differ and how enforcement uses them can prevent violations, delays, and costly compliance issues. When in doubt, verify the registered weight for a specific jurisdiction before rolling across the state line.
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RECENT INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
2026-05-12T05:00:00Z
NewsHuman Resource ManagementHuman Resource ManagementEmployee RelationsFamily and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)In-Depth ArticleFamily and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)HR ManagementEnglishHuman ResourcesIndustry NewsEmployee RelationsHR GeneralistAssociate RelationsCommunication ToolsFocus AreaUSA
What does your FMLA process look like?
Administering employee leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) basically involves a process that starts when an employee puts the employer on notice of the need for leave and (hopefully) ends when the employee returns to work.
Beyond the compliance requirements, employers can help make the FMLA process more or less challenging for employees and for themselves. If, for example, a process involves handing an employee 40 pages of FMLA-related documents without any explanation, it might be overwhelming for the employee and inefficient in the long run for the employer.
8 steps to help smooth out the FMLA process
Employers might look at their FMLA process and see if there’s room for improvement. Ideas can include the following:
- Walk through the process. Talk with the employee so they know what to expect and when. Have conversations and ask if the employee has any questions. It never hurts to ask, “What can we do to help?” or something to that effect along the way.
- Consider the factors of each situation. Employees who need leave are usually in a stressful situation, even if the reason for leave is happily welcoming a new child. They often aren’t familiar with the nuances of the FMLA, so it’s new territory for them. A bit of empathy goes a long way.
- Follow through. Provide employees with answers to any questions or glitches in the process. While employees might have 15 days to gather a certification, for example, meeting that deadline can be challenging in some situations. If it’s missed, talk to the employees so they understand why.
- Provide gentle reminders. While it’s not technically required, if deadlines are coming up, gently remind employees.
- Use technology to your advantage. If your system enables employees to access the process and its parts from their mobile device, all the better; if that’s how an employee would prefer to proceed, great!
- Overcommunicate rather than under-communicate. It’s better to say more than less when it comes to explaining how the FMLA process works and what’s expected. Ask employees which method they prefer to receive information. If, for example, you prefer to make phone calls, but an employee seldom accepts phone calls, both you and the employee can be frustrated.
- Have templates for letters and forms. Using templates makes it easier to recognize and review information or explain something to the employee. This can also help ensure you treat all similarly situated employees equivalently.
- Document the process. Write down the FMLA process and share it with managers, at least at a high level. Managers don’t need to become FMLA experts, but they might not realize all that’s involved in the FMLA process, and things might get a little easier once they understand. Employees can benefit from such a document, as well.
Because FMLA leave is very personal, employees who have a bad leave experience might consider changing employers or sharing their experience with coworkers, making recruiting and retention more challenging.
Key to remember: Taking a few steps beyond compliance in FMLA leave management can help make the process easier for both employers and employees.
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2026-05-12T05:00:00Z
NewsSafety Data SheetsIndustry NewsIndustry NewsEnglishHazard ClassificationsSafety & HealthGeneral Industry SafetyOccupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), DOLHazard CommunicationHazard CommunicationHazcom LabelingFocus AreaUSA
First HazCom compliance date almost here!
OSHA’s revised Hazard Communication (HazCom) standard, which took effect in July 2024, includes staggered compliance dates stretching into 2028. The first of these is just around the corner. By May 19, 2026, chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors evaluating substances must be in compliance with all modified provisions of the standard. (“Substance” is defined in 1910.1200(c).) This means manufacturers and importers must reclassify aerosols, desensitized explosives, and flammable gases under the new criteria in Appendix B to 1910.1200 and make corresponding changes to safety data sheets (SDSs) and labels.
Additionally, these manufacturers, importers, and distributors must comply with changes to the following elements, as applicable:
- Labels for packages released for shipment, bulk shipments, and small containers;
- SDS subsections; and
- Trade secrets.
Downstream users of substances that are aerosols, desensitized explosives, or flammable gases will start to see updated SDSs and labels on shipped containers of hazardous chemicals (if they haven’t already). For more information, see our related FAQ.
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2026-05-11T05:00:00Z
NewsEnglishFleet SafetyChange NoticesChange NoticeDrug and Alcohol Testing - DOTDrug testing - Motor CarrierOffice of the Secretary of TransportationFocus AreaAlcohol testing - Motor CarrierTransportationUSA
DOT Final Rule: Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs
The U.S. Department of Transportation revises its drug and alcohol testing procedures to require a directly observed urine collection in situations where oral fluid tests are currently required but cannot be conducted because oral fluid testing is not yet available. The rule also updates terminology in these procedures consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.
DATES: This rule is effective on June 10, 2026. Published in the Federal Register May 11, 2026, page 25507.
View final rule.
| §40.65 What does the collector check for when the employee presents a urine specimen? | ||
| (d) | Added | View text |
| §40.67 When and how is a directly observed urine collection conducted? | ||
| (g) | Revised | View text |
| (h) | Revised | View text |
| §40.69 How is a monitored urine collection conducted? | ||
| (c) | Revised | View text |
| (d) | Revised | View text |
| §40.145 [Amended] | ||
| (h)(1)(ii) | Revised | View text |
Previous text
§40.67 When and how is a directly observed urine collection conducted?
* * * *
(g) As the collector, you must ensure that the observer is the same gender as the employee.
(1) You must never permit an opposite gender person to act as the observer.
(2) The observer can be a different person from the collector and need not be a qualified collector.
(3) If a same gender collector cannot be found or in circumstances of nonbinary or transgender employees:
(i) If the employer has a standing order to allow oral fluid testing in such situations, the collector will follow that order;
(ii) If there is no standing order from the employer, the collector must contact the DER and either conduct an oral fluid test if the collection site is able to do so, or send the employee to a collection site acceptable to the employer for the oral fluid test.
(h) As the collector, if someone else is to observe the collection (e.g., in order to ensure a same gender observer), you must verbally instruct that person to follow procedures at paragraphs (i) and (j) of this section. If you, the collector, are the observer, you too must follow these procedures.
§40.69 How is a monitored urine collection conducted?
* * * *
(c) As the collector, you must ensure that the monitor is the same gender as the employee, unless the monitor is a medical professional (e.g., nurse, doctor, physician’s assistant, technologist, or technician licensed or certified to practice in the jurisdiction in which the collection takes place). The monitor can be a different person from the collector and need not be a qualified collector.
(d) As the collector, if someone else is to monitor the collection (e.g., in order to ensure a same gender monitor), you must verbally instruct that person to follow the procedures of paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section. If you, the collector, are the monitor, you must follow these procedures.
§40.145 On what basis does the MRO verify test results involving adulteration or substitution?
* * * *
(h)(1)(ii) Assertion by the employee that his or her personal characteristics (e.g., with respect to race, gender, weight, diet, working conditions) are responsible for the substituted result does not, in itself, constitute a legitimate medical explanation. To make a case that there is a legitimate medical explanation, the employee must present evidence showing that the cited personal characteristics actually result in the physiological production of urine meeting the creatinine and specific gravity criteria of §40.88(b).
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NewsGreenhouse GasesWaste/HazWasteToxic Substances Control Act - EPASafe Drinking WaterWater AnalysisWater ProgramsWater QualityMaximum Contaminant LevelsWalking Working SurfacesMonthly Roundup VideoCAA ComplianceSolid WasteCWA ComplianceLaddersEnglishUSAHeat StressIndustry NewsHeat and Cold ExposureSafety & HealthGeneral Industry SafetyWasteMaritime SafetyEnvironmentalFocus AreaWater MonitoringVolatile Organic CompoundsAir ProgramsStationary Emission SourcesVideo
EHS Monthly Round Up - April 2026
In this April 2026 roundup video, we’ll review the most impactful environmental health and safety news.
Hi everyone! Welcome to the monthly news roundup video, where we’ll review the most impactful environmental health and safety news. Let’s take a look at what happened over the past month.
OSHA revised its National Emphasis Program on heat-related hazards. Going forward, the agency will prioritize inspections in 55 high-risk industries in indoor and outdoor work settings. The program remains in effect for 5 years from its April 10 effective date.
An OSHA proposed rule seeks to eliminate the November 18, 2036, deadline in the Walking-Working Surfaces standard that would require all fixed ladders extending more than 24 feet above a lower level to be equipped with personal fall arrest systems or ladder safety systems. OSHA also seeks feedback on nine specific questions related to the proposal, with comments due on June 5.
On April 17, OSHA revoked its House Falls in Marine Terminals standard at 1917.41. The agency said that because most cargo has been containerized and is moved by cranes, the standard is no longer necessary to protect employees.
Turning to environmental news, an EPA final rule further delays the submission period for the one-time PFAS report required of manufacturers. It pushes the start of the submission period to either 60 days after the effective date of a future final rule updating the PFAS Reporting Rule or January 31, 2027, whichever comes first.
An EPA final rule makes technical changes to the emission standards established in March 2024 for crude oil and natural gas facilities. The changes take effect June 8.
EPA published the draft 6th Contaminant Candidate List for the next group of contaminants to be considered for regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The proposed list designates microplastics and pharmaceuticals as priority contaminant groups for the first time.
And finally, EPA plans to make significant changes to coal combustion residuals requirements. A proposed rule published April 13 would revise the regulations governing the disposal of coal combustion residuals in landfills and surface impoundments, as well as the beneficial use of coal combustion residuals.
Thanks for tuning in to the monthly news roundup. We’ll see you next month!
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NewsDriver qualificationsTransportationMonthly Roundup VideoBusiness planning - Motor CarrierUSAEnglishBusiness planning - Motor CarrierIndustry NewsFleet SafetyDrivers qualification (DQ file)Business policies and procedures - Motor CarrierOperating AuthorityFleet OperationsFocus AreaVideo
Transportation Monthly Round Up - April 2026
In this April 2026 round up video, we'll review the most impactful transportation and safety news.
In this April 2026 round up, we will discuss an FMCSA update on Motus and an update to the Medical Examiner's Certification Integration final rule.
After years of development, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving motor carrier registration into Motus, its new USDOT Registration System. During the last week of April, FMCSA mailed about 2.2 million letters to USDOT number owners to flag the change and to urge companies to take preparatory steps now.
The message is simple. Motus is coming in 2026, and the smoothest transition will belong to registrants who clean up their Portal access and company record before the switch happens.
FMCSA has asked companies to complete these Portal steps by May 14, 2026.
- Ensure the FMCSA Portal account is active, since inactive accounts can be disabled after prolonged non-use.
- Confirm the correct Portal Company Official is listed. FMCSA has indicated that this role, using the same Login.gov email, will be required to claim the company account in Motus.
- Review and update company information through the Portal by submitting a biennial update, so Motus can populate the new account with accurate data.
The FMCSA announced a temporary exemption allowing interstate commercial driver’s license and permit holders to continue relying on a paper copy of the medical examiner’s certificate as proof of a driver’s medical certification for up to 60 days after the date the certificate was issued.
The purpose of the exemption to make sure drivers aren't penalized for delays outside of their control, since five states still have yet to implement the Medical Examiner's Certification Integration final rule. This exemption went into effect April 11, 2026 and will continue until October 11, 2026.
The only state that isn’t expected to comply with the exemption date is Alaska.
That’s it for this month’s round up. Stay safe, and thanks for watching.
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Copyright 2026 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.