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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.
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FEATURED NEWS
2026-06-29T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsMandatory Entry Level Driver Training (MELT)Entry-Level driver trainingEntry-level driver trainingIn-Depth ArticleEnglishFocus AreaUSA
Hiring effective driver trainers
Hiring the right driver trainer is one of the most important decisions a motor carrier can make. A trainer does more than teach skills or company policy. They shape driver behavior, reinforce safety culture, and influence overall risk. Selecting the right person requires more evaluation than driving experience alone.
Good drivers are not always good trainers
A common mistake is promoting top-performing drivers into training roles based only on their safety record or years of experience. Technical skills are important, but this does not guarantee the ability to teach. Effective trainers must break down complex tasks, communicate clearly, and adjust their approach based on how a student learns. Some highly skilled drivers perform tasks instinctively but struggle to explain what they are doing, which can limit the effectiveness of training.
Qualities of an effective trainer
An effective trainer combines driving knowledge with teaching ability and professionalism. Important qualities include:
- Clear communication: Explaining regulations, company expectations, and real-world scenarios in practical terms.
- Patience and emotional awareness: Recognizing that drivers learn at different speeds and the ability to respond constructively to mistakes.
- Strong regulatory knowledge: Understanding FMCSA requirements such as hours of service, inspections, and cargo securement, and applying them to daily operations.
- Situational awareness: Teaching drivers how to anticipate hazards and make good decisions before problems occur.
- Credibility and consistency: Demonstrating safe, compliant behavior as a culture.
- Attention to documentation: Accurately recording training, evaluations, and corrective actions in an audit-ready manner.
Hiring externally might be an option
Internal candidates are not always the best fit for a training role. If the organization does not have someone with both technical and instructional skills, hiring from outside can strengthen the program. External trainers can bring:
- Experience from different operations,
- Exposure to best practices and structured training methods, and
- A background in instruction or coaching.
An external hire can also help standardize training and introduce new ideas, as long as they align with the company’s culture and expectations.
Common traits of great coaches
Great trainers function as coaches. Effective coaches share several traits:
- They observe before correcting, taking time to understand behavior before giving feedback.
- They give specific guidance. Feedback is clear, direct, and tied to actions the driver can improve.
- They build trust. Drivers respond better when they feel respected and supported.
- They reinforce positive behavior. They recognize what drivers are doing well, not just what needs improvement.
- They apply standards consistently. Expectations remain the same for all drivers, which reduces confusion and risk.
These qualities help build habits that improve safety and performance over time.
Ongoing certification and development
Trainers need structured preparation and continued development. Experience alone is not enough. A strong program should include:
- Initial certification — Trainers complete a formal process covering adult learning principles, coaching techniques, company expectations, and regulatory requirements.
- Standardized curriculum — All trainers follow the same program for classroom, behind-the-wheel, and evaluation activities.
- Remedial development — Trainers are evaluated periodically. If gaps are identified, they receive additional coaching before being re-certified.
- Continuous improvement — Ongoing education keeps trainers current on regulatory updates, operational risks, and training techniques.
Key to remember: The best driver trainer is not just a skilled driver, but a consistent coach who can teach, communicate, and shape safe behaviors in others.
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RECENT INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
2026-06-29T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsConfined SpacesConfined Space HazardsSafety & HealthConstruction SafetyGeneral Industry SafetyPermit-Required Confined SpacesConfined SpacesIn-Depth ArticleEnglishFocus AreaUSA
The high cost of overlooking confined space hazards
Confined space risks can escalate rapidly and without warning, and inadequate planning for entry can turn a routine task into an irreversible tragedy. This stark reality was highlighted when six lives were lost last summer at a Colorado dairy operation, and the associated $246,000 in penalties underscored the financial costs of improper planning. Both costly lessons serve as a powerful reminder that these outcomes were entirely preventable with the right preparation, training, and hazard awareness.
Rapid consequences
What started as a normal workday quickly turned fatal when two workers attempted to stop the flow in the manure transfer system. When a pipe disconnected, both workers were overcome by toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. Four coworkers rushed to their assistance and were met with the same deadly atmosphere. The catastrophe unfolded in mere minutes, presenting a serious wake-up call to the sudden and severe consequences of hazardous atmospheres within confined spaces.
Preventable failures
Findings from OSHA’s investigation revealed that several safety system gaps played a role in the incident, including:
- Inadequate planning for confined space entry and emergency response;
- Failure to maintain a written hazard communication program; and
- Insufficient training to help workers better understand, recognize, and respond to exposure risks.
Understanding these findings and taking steps to address these areas can help strengthen future safety practices and prevent similar incidents.
Proven safety strategies
When invisible hazards pose the greatest risk, keeping employees safe requires a plan that includes:
Step 1: Identifying and classifying the space to determine whether it is a confined space or a permit‑required confined space.
Step 2: Assessing the space for all potential hazards, including toxic gases, oxygen levels, engulfment or entrapment risks, and mechanical or electrical dangers.
Step 3: Establishing reliable communication channels between the Entrant and Attendant before entry and ensure communication is maintained throughout the operation.
Step 4: Preparing required equipment beforehand, including calibrated gas monitors, communication equipment, and rescue systems.
Step 5: Developing a rescue plan and set up equipment in advance. Most confined space fatalities occur when untrained coworkers attempt a rescue. All personnel, including rescuers, must be trained prior to entry on alarms, communication protocols, and exiting expectations.
Step 6: Training personnel according to assigned roles, including Attendant, Entrant, and Entry Supervisor. Training must be provided prior to an employee’s first assigned duties, any time there is a change in assigned duties; when operations change that could affect hazards, or whenever it’s believed that there are deviations from established procedures.
Step 7: Obtaining required permits and ensure all safety conditions and controls are verified and documented prior to entry and throughout the entry as necessary.
Step 8: Controlling hazardous energy sources including mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic systems, as well as valves and piping.
Step 9: Monitoring confined space atmospheres throughout the entry to ensure oxygen levels and flammable and toxic gases remain within safe limits.
Step 10: Ensuring proper air quality by ventilating the space when natural ventilation is not sufficient.
Step 11: Reviewing and refreshing your confined space and hazard communication programs at least annually to ensure confined spaces are classified properly, hazards are effectively controlled, and employees are properly trained.
Preventing deadly confined space incidents requires a disciplined process during every entry. By taking these simple but essential steps, organizations can protect workers from the life‑threatening risks posed by hazardous atmospheres in confined spaces.
Key to remember: Preventing deadly confined space incidents relies on hazards recognition, thorough preparation, and following a consistent and disciplined process every entry.
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2026-06-26T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsEnvironmental Management SystemsWaste/HazWasteCAA ComplianceSustainabilityIn-Depth ArticleCWA ComplianceEnvironmentalEnglishSustainabilityESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)Focus AreaUSA
Multi-media inspections are back: How to prepare for comprehensive EPA and state audits
Regulators have returned to routine, in-person inspections, and many are no longer limited to a single program. EPA and state agencies are again conducting multi-media inspections that review air, water, and hazardous waste compliance in one visit. For facilities, this shift raises the stakes. An issue in one program can quickly lead inspectors into others, especially when records or operations do not align.
Most inspectors now arrive with background data already reviewed. Electronic submissions, air reports, discharge monitoring reports, and hazardous waste filings are compared against what they see on site. When numbers, dates, or practices do not match, the scope of the inspection often expands.
What inspectors are really evaluating
While documents are important, inspectors focus on whether procedures match actual operations. They will often start with a walk-through of the facility, tracing how materials move through production and become emissions, discharges, or wastes.
For example:
- Air compliance may be checked by reviewing fuel use, hours of operation, or control device logs.
- Stormwater compliance often involves visual checks for exposed materials and condition of controls.
- Hazardous waste inspections typically focus on labeling, container condition, and accumulation practices.
The common thread is consistency. If a plan says one thing but operators do another, it is likely to result in a finding.
Common gaps seen during multi-media inspections
Across industries, several issues appear repeatedly:
- Records that do not match across programs (e.g., waste logs vs. manifests)
- Missing or incomplete inspection logs for air or stormwater systems
- Assumptions about exemptions without supporting documentation
- Satellite accumulation areas managed informally outside environmental oversight
- Housekeeping issues that create unintended stormwater exposure
Many of these are not complex violations. They are breakdowns in communication, training, or follow-through.
A practical way to prepare
Facilities can improve readiness by conducting an internal, cross-media review that mirrors an actual inspection. This is more effective than reviewing each program in isolation.
Start with a process-based walk-through:
- Identify where raw materials enter the facility
- Follow how they are used, stored, and handled
- Note where wastes, emissions, or discharges are generated
- Confirm how each is managed and documented
At each step, ask two questions:
- Is this activity reflected accurately in our records and plans?
- Would an operator explain it the same way it is written?
This approach often reveals gaps that are not obvious during a desk review.
A recent case: How one issue expands the scope
At a mid-sized manufacturing facility, inspectors began with a routine hazardous waste review. They noticed that waste logs showed periodic disposal of solvent residues, but there were no related air records for emissions tied to cleaning operations.
This led inspectors to review the facility’s air permit assumptions. They found that solvent use had increased over time, but the facility had not updated its potential-to-emit calculations. What started as a simple waste review expanded into an air applicability concern.
The facility ultimately faced findings in both programs, not because of a single major violation, but because information did not align across systems.
Strengthening compliance across programs
Preparation does not require building new systems. It requires making sure existing ones are aligned and consistently followed.
Focus on:
- Clear ownership of compliance tasks across departments
- Regular cross-checks between records (air, water, waste)
- Training staff on how their daily tasks affect compliance
- Maintaining documentation that supports assumptions, exemptions, and limits
Facilities that treat compliance as a connected system, not separate programs, are better positioned during inspections.
Key to remember: A multi-media inspection looks for consistency across air, water, and waste programs, not just isolated compliance. If your records and operations tell the same story, you are far less likely to face expanded scrutiny.
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2026-06-25T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsIndustry NewsFleet SafetyFederal Motor Carrier Safety RegulationsFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOTFocus AreaEnglishTransportationBusiness planning - Motor CarrierUSA
FMCSA temporarily suspends USDOT Inactivation
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced it will be temporarily pausing inactivation of USDOT numbers for carriers that have been unable to complete their biennial updates since June 1. This leniency is FMCSA’s response to the technical difficulties that have occurred during the transition to Motus.
What rule is impacted?
All motor carriers are required to file a Motor Carrier Identification Report (MCS-150) before beginning operations and once every 24 months thereafter. The schedule for updating the MCS-150 information is listed in 390.19(b).
Entities that fail to submit their biennial MCS-150 update as required by 390.19(b) are subject to penalties and deactivation of the USDOT number (390.19(b)(4)). This is what FMCSA is temporarily pausing, with the intention of relieving strain caused by the new system and keeping carriers on roadways while they work on submitting their current MCS-150s.
The key word here is “temporarily.”
FMCSA does still expect carriers to be working toward making their updates when possible. At this time, it’s not known how long this suspension will last, so carriers should use this time wisely and continue trying to file so they will be back in compliance once the deferment ends.
For Motus support, contact the FMCSA support center by calling 1-800-832-5660 or submitting a ticket at https://ask.fmcsa.dot.gov/app/ticket.
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2026-06-25T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsFleet SafetyRisk Management TransportationRisk Management - Motor CarrierTransportationIn-Depth ArticleEnglishFocus AreaUSA
Can a freight broker defend contracting with your carrier?
Freight brokers may be less likely to use your trucking services if you have a questionable safety record.
A U.S. Supreme Court decision now permits liability claims against brokers for the actions of the trucking companies they use. Consequently, motor carriers, even those with exemplary records, may experience more scrutiny when seeking brokered loads. Brokers will want assurance that you are a safe business using qualified personnel and well-maintained vehicles.
A quick glance at your Safer profile
Brokers and shippers often start the vetting process by checking out the carrier’s Safer website profile.
A cursory glance of the site will show the following about a carrier:
- Active or inactive USDOT number,
- Start date of authority, and
- Nature of the carrier, including:
- Property/passenger carrier
- For-hire/private carrier,
- Broker authority,
- Household good authority,
- Hazmat operation,
- Interstate and/or intrastate designation,
- Number of power units and drivers, and
- Vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
Brokers will use the carrier’s start date to help identify a chameleon carrier. A chameleon carrier is one that creates a new DOT number under the same ownership to hide a poor safety record. This is not permitted under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations.
Motor carrier insurance is also a priority for the broker. Often, they ask the carrier for proof of insurance through a copy of the MCS-90A.
In addition, the Safer site will show information on the number of CMV crashes and roadside inspections, along with the out-of-service rate. The carrier’s safety rating will also appear on Safer
What does your safety rating say about you?
A motor carrier’s safety reputation hinges on its safety rating. A rating is the result of a compliance review (audit) that looks at the carrier’s whole motor carrier safety program in comparison to FMCSA regulations. The auditor exams the carrier’s compliance records within five regulatory categories. Violations within each are scored to arrive at one of three ratings (conclusions about your company):
- Satisfactory: The motor carrier is considered low risk by having effective safety management controls in place to meet FMCSA’s safety fitness standard.
- Conditional: The motor carrier is considered a higher-risk carrier, even though the carrier has some safety management controls. The safety management controls, however, aren’t adequate to ensure compliance with safety standards. A conditional rating may result in increased scrutiny and higher insurance premiums.
- Unsatisfactory: A motor carrier's safety management controls are severely lacking. Significant safety violations found during the audit may require the carrier to cease operations until they are corrected.
Some carriers may not have a safety rating if they have only experienced a new entrant audit, which doesn’t result in a rating. Most carriers are unrated.
To enhance your brand image, if you have a conditional rating, you always have the option of making the necessary corrective actions and ask FMCSA to consider changing the rating to Satisfactory. Many large brokers don’t use conditional carriers.
CSA: A deeper dive into your safety record
A safety rating doesn’t always tell the whole story. A carrier can appear safe on paper, but actions on the road may show otherwise.
A carrier’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) data originates from roadside inspection and commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crash reports. The CSA site’s public view of the Safety Measurement System (SMS) provides a starting point to see the frequency of specific roadside inspection violations and details of crashes. The information far exceeds the Safer carrier overview. Only motor carriers, when logged into the SMS, can see details such as the carrier’s CSA BASIC scores (percentile ranking against peers) and the identity of a driver associated with a specific report.
Even though CSA BASIC scores for property-carrying motor carrier are not publicly available, there is nothing keeping a broker or other customer from asking to see the scores as a term of doing business.
Since SMS damaging information can be a deal-breaker, a motor carrier should review its data routinely to ensure that it’s accurate. Motor carriers should work to get any misinformation corrected. This requires submitting a request to correct the data using the federal DataQs portal. If successful in the challenge, it will aid in lowering your CSA scores for brokers and others to see.
Key to remember: Brokers are now responsible for the actions of the motor carriers they utilize, so they may implement more stringent vetting procedures for those they provide loads.
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2026-06-25T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsEnglishFocus AreaIn-Depth ArticleFleet OperationsHeavy vehicle use tax HVUTFleet TaxesFleet taxesTransportationUSA
How the IRS can park your truck
Every year, the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) season opens July 1, and every year the same pattern plays out.
It’s rarely the big stuff that gets carriers into trouble. Most fleets and owner-operators know they need to file Form 2290. They understand the August 31 deadline for vehicles in service in July. The real problems show up in the details.
A single wrong date. A mismatched name. One digit off in a vehicle identification number (VIN). These small errors can trigger IRS rejections, delay your stamped Schedule 1, and create a ripple effect that ends with delayed registrations or parked trucks. Before the season begins, it’s worth taking a closer look at some of the mistakes that cause the most headaches and how to avoid them.
EIN and legal business name
One of the fastest ways to get a Form 2290 rejected is a simple identity mismatch.
The IRS requires the Employer Identification Number (EIN) and legal business name on the return to match exactly what’s on file. Even small discrepancies — extra spaces, punctuation, or using a “doing business as” name — can cause a rejection.
A rejected filing means no Schedule 1 and no proof of HVUT payment when you need it to register the vehicle(s).
Using the wrong “month of first use”
This is one of the most common and costly errors. The filing deadline is based on when the vehicle is first used on public highways, not when it’s purchased or when the registration renews.
For vehicles in service in July, the deadline is August 31. For vehicles added later, the deadline shifts to the last day of the following month.
Here’s where many carriers go wrong:
- Using the purchase date instead of first dispatch,
- Defaulting everything to July, or
- Forgetting that mid-year additions have different deadlines.
Using the wrong date can lead to incorrect tax calculations or late filing penalties.
VIN errors that delay everything
A single incorrect character in a VIN can make your Schedule 1 unusable.
That means even if you paid the tax, you may not be able to use the document for registration until the error is corrected.
This is one of the most common causes of vehicle registration delays at the DMV or IRP office.
Reporting the wrong taxable gross weight
HVUT is based on taxable gross weight and misreporting it can lead to overpaying or underpaying. Some carriers:
- Estimate instead of verifying,
- Use empty weight instead of taxable gross weight, or
- Select the wrong category altogether.
Incorrect weight classification can trigger amendments, penalties, or unnecessary costs.
Assuming “no tax due” means “no filing required”
Even if a vehicle is expected to stay under the mileage threshold (generally 5,000 miles, or 7,500 for agricultural use), a return still needs to be filed to report the tax on that truck as suspended.
Skipping the filing altogether can create compliance gaps later in the year, especially if mileage limits are exceeded.
A simple way to stay ahead
The most effective way to avoid these issues is also the simplest: prepare before July 1 and double-check everything before you file.
A quick pre-season check should include:
- Verify EIN and legal business name.
- Confirm VINs against titles or equipment.
- Document the true first-use month.
- Review taxable gross weight classifications.
Key to remember: Form 2290 problems rarely come from not knowing the rules. They come from small, preventable mistakes that slip through during a busy season.
Getting it right the first time means fewer delays, fewer corrections—and fewer surprises when it’s time to register your vehicles. Because when HVUT season opens, it’s not just about filing a form. It’s about keeping your trucks on the road.
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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.