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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, or FMCSRs, are the federal regulations that set safety and operational standards for companies operating trucks, vans, buses, and other vehicles involved in interstate commerce.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations apply to drivers and companies operating commercial motor vehicles.
CMVs are highly regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Rules found in the FMCSRs include those regulating drivers’ work hours, vehicle inspections and maintenance, driver training and licensing, vehicle lease agreements, insurance, vehicle marking, and a variety of other topics. The rules are enforced by the FMCSA and its state partners.
The FMCSRs are found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) under Title 49, which contains all regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Within Title 49, the FMCSRs are found in Subtitle 3, Chapter III, Subchapter B, consisting of Parts 350 through 399.
Other parts typically associated with motor carriers include Part 40, related to drug/alcohol testing, and Part 325, the noise emission standards.
Parts 356 through 379 are regulations from the former Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), now administered by the FMCSA and commonly referred to as “economic” or “commercial” regulations.
Though the FMCSRs only apply to interstate commerce (relating to cargo or passengers that cross state lines), many states adopt all or a portion of the FMCSRs and apply them to vehicles operating strictly within state boundaries.
Applicability
The following table summarizes the “applicability” of the FMCSRs; that is, to whom each part applies:
Part(s) | Topic(s) | Applicability |
---|---|---|
356 | Vehicle routing | For-hire property and passenger carriers |
360 | Operating authority and related fees | For-hire property and passenger carriers |
365 | Operating authority | For-hire property and passenger carriers and certain Mexico-domiciled for-hire and private carriers |
366 | Process agent | For-hire property and passenger carriers and Mexico-domiciled for-hire and private carriers. |
367 | UCR | All interstate and international private and for-hire carriers, freight forwarders, leasing companies and brokers |
368 | Operating authority for southern U.S. commercial zones | Mexico domiciled carriers operating in U.S. commercial zones along U.S./MX border |
369 | Reports | For-hire property and passenger carriers |
370 | Loss and damage claims | For-hire motor carriers |
371 | Brokers | Anyone arranging, for compensation, transportation of property by for-hire motor carrier |
372 | Operating authority exemptions and commercial zones | For-hire passenger and property carriers |
373 | Bill of lading | For-hire motor carriers |
374 | Passenger carriers | For-hire passenger carriers |
375 | Household goods | For-hire motor carriers engaged in the transportation of household goods for individual shippers |
376 | Lease and interchange | Motor carriers and owner-operators |
377 | Payment of transportation charges | For-hire motor carriers |
378 | Overcharge and duplicate payment claims | For-hire motor carriers |
379 | Record preservation | Motor carriers, brokers, water carriers, and household goods freight forwarders |
380, Subparts A-D | Longer combination vehicles | Operators of double/triple trailers weighing over 80,000 pounds |
380, Subparts F-G | Entry-level driver training | Drivers who are seeking a CDL for the first time, upgrading to a Class A or Class B CDL, or obtaining a hazardous materials, passenger, or school bus endorsement for the first time. |
381 | Waivers and exemptions | Anyone wishing to apply for a waiver or exemption from the rules |
382, 383 | CDLs, drug testing | Drivers of “commercial motor vehicles” as defined in 382.107 and 383.5 |
385, Subpart D | New entrant | New motor carriers |
385, Subpart E | Hazmat safety permits | Transporters of the hazardous materials listed in 385.403 |
387 | Financial responsibility | For-hire and private hazmat carriers and for-hire non-hazmat carriers |
390-396, 399 | Safety | Drivers of “commercial motor vehicles” as defined in 390.5 |
397 | Hazmat | Persons engaged in the transportation of hazardous materials which must be placarded or marked |
398 | Migrant workers | Those engaged in the transportation of migrant workers |