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The purpose of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations is to promote safety of operations on our highways. The use of qualified drivers to operate commercial motor vehicles is one of the most important steps toward this goal.
The driver qualification requirements are located in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 391. The regulations apply to commercial motor vehicles involved in interstate commerce.
Basic driver qualification requirements for the interstate driver include the following:
To help a carrier determine a driver’s qualification status, the regulations require the carrier to request a three-year driving record and check with the driver’s previous DOT-regulated employers.
The motor carrier is required to maintain a driver qualification file for each driver it employs.
States also have driver qualification requirements for intrastate operations, either by adopting the federal rules or by establishing their own rules.