Regulatory Compliance News & Updates
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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.
Safety & Compliance News
FEATURED NEWS
2026-04-03T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsEnglishFleet SafetyOut-of-service criteria - Motor CarrierFines and penalties - Motor CarrierFocus AreaIn-Depth ArticleEnforcement - DOTRoadside InspectionsTransportationUSA
From warning to OOS: Your ticket to Roadcheck results
With the Roadcheck inspection event approaching, now’s the time to check your knowledge about the various types of “tickets” commercial truck and bus drivers may receive out on the road.
Some carry more consequences than others, including how they impact your company’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) scores and drivers’ records.
The following should help clarify the difference between warnings, convictions, citations, and other enforcement actions and their effects under CSA.
Violation: A violation is an infringement of a law or rule. If an officer catches it, then it could lead to one of the following items.
Warning: A warning is notice that you are in violation of a law or regulation. A warning can be verbal or written. If the violation is documented on a roadside inspection report (i.e., a Driver/Vehicle Examination Report), it will affect your company’s CSA results and may appear on the driver’s record, even if it was “just a warning.” A verbal warning will generally not be recorded.
Citation: A citation (often called a “ticket” or “summons”) is a formal notice of an alleged violation, typically carrying a fine and/or a requirement to respond to (or appear in) court. A driver who receives a citation generally has the option to settle the matter out of court by paying a fine (which may result in a conviction). A citation may be issued with or without a roadside inspection report. Either way, it will appear on the driver’s record, but only those violations appearing on roadside inspection reports will affect your CSA scores. If a local officer who is not qualified to inspect commercial vehicles issues a citation, it should not appear on a roadside inspection report and will therefore not affect your CSA scores.
Conviction: A conviction is a court outcome (or equivalent) finding someone responsible for a violation. Paying a fine, pleading “no contest,” or forfeiting bail are often treated as convictions under state law. Convictions can appear on driving records and can trigger state “license points” and other consequences, including disqualification and loss of driving privileges. Convictions themselves do not affect CSA scores, but the citations that lead to them do.
If a citation associated with roadside inspection violations is dismissed (with no fine) or reduced to a lesser charge, or the driver is found not guilty, the driver or company can use the online DataQs system to request that their safety record — in both CSA and the Pre-employment Screening Program — reflect the results.
Violations noted: These are violations documented on a roadside inspection report that do affect CSA scores but do not rise to the level of a written warning or citation and do not appear on the driver’s record (unless a citation was also issued). The violations must be corrected and the form returned to the state or it could lead to a violation of 49 CFR 396.9, Inspection of motor vehicles and intermodal equipment in operation.
“Fix-it ticket”: This is a common term for a state-issued document requiring a driver/carrier to repair a defect and provide proof of correction by a certain deadline. How it is issued varies by jurisdiction, but it does not affect CSA scores unless documented on a roadside inspection report. If the defect is not corrected, it could lead to a citation and appear on the driver’s record.
OOS order: An out-of-service order places the driver or vehicle out of service until a violation is corrected. This may or may not be accompanied by a citation. The criteria used by enforcement officials to determine if a driver or vehicle should be placed out of service are published by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. Out-of-service violations carry more “weight” than other roadside violations in the CSA scoring system.
Points: The “points” system is a state-administered program that is not tied to CSA. A state licensing agency may assign “points” to your driver’s license if you are convicted for moving violations, and if you collect enough points within a prescribed amount of time your driving privileges may be suspended or revoked. However, getting points on your license has no effect on your CSA scores. The “severities” assigned to violations in the CSA scoring system are sometimes referred to as “points,” but they are not the same as license points.
What to do after an inspection or ticket
After an inspection, keep a copy of the roadside inspection report and any citation. Make sure repairs are completed promptly and that any required certification/proof of correction is submitted within 15 days per the instructions on the report.
If you believe inspection data is incorrect (wrong vehicle/carrier, violation doesn’t apply, etc.), be sure to submit a “Request for Data Review” using the DataQs system.
Key to remember: Roadcheck and other enforcement activities can result in a variety of tickets, citations, and other consequences, with varying impact on CSA scores. Be sure you know the differences between them.
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RECENT INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
2026-04-03T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsIndustry NewsEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)Renewable and Alternative EnergyBiofuelCAA ComplianceEnvironmentalRenewable and Alternative EnergyFocus AreaEnglishAir ProgramsAir ProgramsUSA
EPA delivers 2026–2027 renewable fuel volumes
On April 1, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the “Set 2” Rule, establishing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program’s 2026 and 2027 renewable fuel volumes and associated percentage standards for:
- Cellulosic biofuel,
- Biomass-based diesel (BBD),
- Advanced biofuel, and
- Total renewable fuel.
The final rule also implements other significant changes.
Who’s impacted?
The “Set 2” Rule affects:
- Transportation fuel (i.e., gasoline and diesel) refiners, blenders, marketers, distributors, importers, and exporters; and
- Renewable fuel producers and importers.
The volume and percentage requirements apply to obligated parties, which include transportation fuel refiners and importers.
What are the changes?
The final rule sets the renewable fuel volume requirements and associated percentage standards for 2026 and 2027. Volume requirements are measured in billion Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). One RIN represents one gallon of ethanol-equivalent renewable fuel.
| Renewable fuel category | Volume requirements (in billion RINs) | Percentage standards | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2027 | 2026 | 2027 | |
| Cellulosic biofuel | 1.36 | 1.43 | 0.79% | 0.84% |
| BBD | 9.07 | 9.20 | 5.24% | 5.37% |
| Advanced biofuel | 11.10 | 11.32 | 6.42% | 6.61% |
| Total renewable fuel | 26.81 | 27.02 | 15.50% | 15.78% |
The “Set 2” Rule also:
- Reallocates 70 percent of the exempted Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for 2023–2025 to 2026 and 2027 (which are reflected in the above table’s volume requirements),
- Partially waives the 2025 cellulosic biofuel volume requirement from 1.38 billion RINs to 1.21 billion RINs and adjusts the related percentage standard from 0.81 percent to 0.71 percent, and
- Removes renewable electricity as a qualifying renewable fuel under the RFS program.
RFS program refresher
The RFS program requires transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels. EPA sets the renewable fuel volume targets for each of the four renewable fuel categories.
To comply, obligated parties must:
- Calculate their RVOs for each renewable fuel category, and
- Obtain and retire enough RINs to meet their RVOs.
Regulations also apply to fuel blenders, marketers, and exporters.
Small refiners may petition EPA for a small refinery exemption (SRE), which allows refineries to produce gasoline and diesel without having to meet the RVOs required by the RFS program. EPA grants SREs annually, and they cover one specific compliance year.
Key to remember: EPA’s final “Set 2” rule establishes the renewable fuel volumes and percentage standards for 2026 and 2027 and drives other changes to the RFS program.
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2026-04-02T05:00:00Z
NewsPersonal Protective EquipmentIn-Depth ArticleWellnessEnglishWellnessIndustry NewsHead ProtectionSafety & HealthConstruction SafetyGeneral Industry SafetyAgriculture SafetyEmployee Mental HealthFocus AreaUSA
From hard hats to headspace: Why mental health is critical for every worker
Protecting workers’ heads takes more than a hard hat. A 2017 National Institute of Health (NIH) study looked at employees across four Kansas worksites and found a clear link between stress and productivity. The study revealed that higher stress scores were significantly associated with lower productivity and greater job dissatisfaction. The result of this study suggests that employers who actively work to reduce stress are not just improving mental health and morale, but they’re boosting productivity as well.
Hidden in plain sight
When Sebastian walked into the office each morning, no one could see the weight he carried. Deadlines were met, meetings attended, yet his smile never faltered. Inside, stress and anxiety were taking a toll, and his story isn’t unique.
One study showed a very interesting contrast: most employees (about 77%) stated they were comfortable supporting a coworker’s mental health. However, when it comes to their own stress or burnout, 42% worry that opening up about it or seeking help could hurt their career or make them a target. Even more striking, one in four have thought about quitting because of mental health challenges. And it’s not just long-term stress. A recent Gallup poll found that 41% of workers felt highly stressed just “yesterday.”
These statistics underscore a troubling theme that employees value and wish to nurture mental wellness; however, stigma, insufficient support, and overwhelming stress persist. Employers need to begin recognizing and proactively addressing workplace mental health in order to cultivate resilient, productive teams.
What one state is doing
The state of Michigan is piloting a new initiative aimed at improving workplace mental health which is increasingly being recognized as an occupational safety and health issue. This expands the state’s historically stringent approach to reducing on-the-job risks.
Michigan’s LEADS program—short for Learn, Educate, Act, Deploy, Study—is a four-month initiative designed to give employers practical tools to tackle stress, burnout, and communication breakdowns that often lead to safety incidents. The idea is simple: when communication falters and stress goes unchecked, mistakes happen. Those mistakes can mean more human errors, higher injury rates, quiet quitting, and turnover.
One of the program’s key features is an evidence-based organizational assessment. Think of it like a safety audit that’s focused on mental health risks rather than physical hazards. Employers get a clear picture of issues such as heavy workloads, unclear roles, workplace conflict or bullying, and weak support systems that can quickly erode a strong safety culture.
The end goal of the LEADS program is not to replace existing safety programs but rather strengthen them. Consider joining Michigan in their effort to enhance communication, better define workers’ roles, support unfettered reporting, and more effectively engage employees.
Key to remember: Stress doesn’t just weigh people down; it can have significant safety and productivity consequences. Programs like Michigan’s LEADS pilot initiative are giving employers the ability to tackle stress and burnout before they lead to mistakes, injuries, or turnover.
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2026-04-02T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsIndustry NewsFleet SafetyEnglishAnnual inspections - Motor CarrierOut-of-service criteria - Motor CarrierFocus AreaDaily vehicle inspectionsFleet OperationsUSAEnforcement - DOTTransportationCMV Inspections
17 new updates to the OOS Criteria now in effect
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA’s) latest North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria are now in effect, including 17 changes that took effect April 1.
Motor carrier enforcement personal and industry professionals use these criteria to determine if drivers or vehicles are posing a serious enough hazard to be placed out of service (OOS) during an inspection. Drivers and motor carriers should review the criteria so they’re aware of the safety violations that will put an immediate stop to a vehicle’s operation.
Consider the upcoming Roadcheck event
With International Roadcheck just around the corner on May 12–14 and its 2026 focus on electronic logging device (ELD) tampering and falsification, one particular addition to the criteria is worth noting.
The criteria for placing drivers OOS for log falsification have been clarified to address situations where a record is falsified so much that the officer can’t determine when the driver was driving and/or resting. Drivers will be cited for violating 49 CFR 395.8(e)(2) and placed OOS for 10 hours (or 8 hours for passenger carriers) for ELD tampering that makes the entire record suspect. Officers will continue to cite 395.8(e)(1) for false logs when the officer can determine rest periods and drive time, and will place drivers OOS “until such time as eligibility to drive is re-established.”
Update categories
Changes were made to the following categories. Find more details at CVSA’s 2026 Out-of-Service Criteria.
For drivers
- ELD tampering
- English-language proficiency violations
- License-restriction violations
- In-state-restricted drivers
- Alcohol content threshold
For vehicles
- Air connections
- Brake pad thickness
- Parking brakes
- Log securement
- Wire rope
- Upper couplers
- Rims
- Wheel hub lubricant
- Emergency exit markings
- Placarding
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2026-04-02T05:00:00Z
NewsAir QualityIndustry NewsIndustry NewsAir ProgramsEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)Hazardous Air PollutantsCAA ComplianceEnvironmentalFocus AreaEnglishAir ProgramsStationary Emission SourcesUSA
EPA releases final NESHAP for chemical manufacturing area sources
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule on April 1, 2026, amending the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Chemical Manufacturing Area Sources (CMAS). The NESHAP controls hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from facilities that manufacture a range of chemicals and products, such as inorganic chemicals, plastics, and synthetic rubber.
Who’s impacted?
The final rule applies to nine area source categories in the chemical manufacturing sector that are regulated by the CMAS NESHAP (40 CFR 63 Subpart VVVVVV).
What are the changes?
EPA’s final rule:
- Establishes leak detection and repair requirements for equipment leaks and heat exchange systems in organic HAP service,
- Adds detectable emissions monitoring standards for pressure vessels in organic HAP service and emission management practice standards for pressure relief devices (PRDs) in organic HAP service,
- Prohibits closed vent systems in organic HAP service from bypassing an air pollution control device (APCD), and
- Requires recurring performance testing of non-flare APCDs to demonstrate compliance with process vent and storage tank provisions.
The final rule also mandates electronic reporting for notifications of compliance status (NOCs), performance test reports, and periodic reports. Facilities must submit these reports through the Compliance and Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI) on EPA’s Central Data Exchange.
What didn’t change?
Significantly, the final rule doesn’t add previously proposed regulations for area sources that use ethylene oxide (EtO) to produce materials described by code 325 of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
EPA states that it intends to address the regulation of EtO from area sources and major sources in one final action.
What are the compliance timelines?
Existing facilities must comply with the amendments by April 1, 2029.
New facilities (those that begin construction or reconstruction after January 22, 2025) have to comply with the changes by April 1, 2026, or upon startup, whichever is later.
Additionally, facilities must start electronically submitting:
- Performance tests by June 1, 2026;
- NOCs by August 31, 2026; and
- Periodic reports by April 1, 2029.
Key to remember: EPA’s final HAP emissions rule for chemical manufacturing area sources adds new requirements for certain processing equipment and systems.
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2026-04-01T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsHR GeneralistFamily and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)In-Depth ArticleFamily and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)HR ManagementEnglishUSAFocus AreaHuman Resources
Breaking down the FMLA's 4 leave year options
The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave in a 12-month leave year period for qualifying reasons.
Employers generally get to decide how to calculate the 12-month leave year. They may choose from four options:
- The calendar year,
- Any fixed 12-month leave year, such as a fiscal year,
- The 12-month period measured forward from the date an employee's first FMLA leave begins, or
- A “rolling” 12-month period measured backward from the date an employee uses FMLA leave.
Calendar year
The calendar year is pretty self-explanatory. It begins on January 1 and ends on December 31. If an employee’s leave begins on December 15 and ends on February 2, the leave from December 15 until December 31 is in one leave year, and the rest is in a new leave year.
With this method, employees can “stack” leave. An employee could, for example, take 12 weeks of FMLA leave from mid-October until the third week of March. While the employee takes 24 consecutive weeks of FMLA leave, 12 of the weeks are in one leave year, and the other 12 weeks are in the following leave year. The employee would have no more FMLA leave available until January 1 of the next year.
Fixed 12-month period
This method operates much like the calendar year method, but doesn’t start on January 1. If employers choose an employee’s anniversary date, for example, each employee will have a different leave year, which could make tracking leave a bit of a challenge. Selecting a more unified option, such as a company’s fiscal year, makes leave tracking easier.
Either way, this method also allows employees to stack their leave.
Measured forward
With this method, when an employee takes FMLA leave for the first time, that’s when each employee’s individual leave year begins. If, for example, an employee first took FMLA leave on March 12, 2026, their leave year would run from that date to March 12, 2027.
Just because the employee first took leave on March 12 doesn’t mean that the leave year will always begin on that date. The leave year could change. If that same employee subsequently took leave beginning July 22, 2027, the new leave year would run to July 22, 2028.
Rolling backward
Under this method, the 12 months aren’t static — they “roll.” Each day begins a 12-month new leave year. Every time an employee takes FMLA leave, the employer looks back 12 months and determines how much leave the employee took in those 12 months. That amount is subtracted from the 12-weeks of FMLA leave. The balance is how much FMLA leave the employee has available on that particular day. The next day, the employer makes the same calculation.
While the rolling backward method is the most employer-friendly of the four choices, and it avoids the stacking of leave, it makes calculating leave amounts more challenging because it’s always changing.
State laws
While these four leave-year options apply to federal FMLA leave, states with their own leave programs in place might have different requirements. Wisconsin, for example, has a state family and medical leave law that requires employers to use a calendar year. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employers in Wisconsin that are covered by both laws must, therefore, use the calendar year method.
Key to remember: Employers may choose from four methods to identify the 12-month leave year during which eligible employees may take FMLA leave.
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