Anybody familiar with FMCSA stuff?

[Orchard Ex]

I applied for my USDOT numbers but I was wondering -before I have to download and print the entire (370? page) document on my little inkjet printer...
Can anybody confirm or deny the following:

1) I only have 1 truck, MD MVA says that I don't need to keep a daily pre/post trip inspection report if I only have the 1 truck.

2) I operate within 100 "air miles" of home base. My understanding is that I do not need to track my in service driving time.

3) I have no employees (just me the owner and chief water bottle fetcher). Do I need to implement a "random" drug testing program (or any testing program for that matter) with only me as the sole worker?

Many times there are excaptions for the smallest of operators on things like this, but maybe not this time. Can anyone answer or point me to the section in the FMCSA? :Banghead

Thanks,
Korey

 

[Steve Frazier]

It used to be if you gross under 18,000 lbs, you were exempt from log requirements and post trip vehicle reports. I don't know if this still applies or if it even would apply to your truck.

There is also a number requirement on the number of employees before you are required to give random drug testing, I don't know what the number is either. For some reason 5 is coming to mind.

 

[DKinWA]

I'd call your local commercial vehicle enforcement office and get the word straight from them. I've been in numerous discussions on vehicle and driver license requirements and it seems to vary slightly between the states. I'm in Washington state and have one vehicle over 26,000. I had to join a consortium for random drug testing which involved a preemployment drug screen. I'm also required to have a company drug policy even though I'm the only driver.

I also operate within 100 air miles and return to the shop every day. While I'm not required to keep a daily drivers log, but I do have to follow the hours of service rules. I'm also required to track the number of hours I work and drive and maintain these records for no less than 6 months. As far as exemptions for small operators, I haven't run into any. It doesn't seem to matter if you have 1 truck or a 1,000. This has been my experience in washington state.

 

[Dwan Hall]

I am also a sole owner operator and all you have stated is true in Alaska. Your state may have slightly different requirements.
As far as the ramdom drug test, That is a joke around here because if you are the only on to test then it is not random.

Biggest thing is make sure your health card is current and you do your yearly truck inspection.

 

[Orchard Ex]

Thanks, I guess that I'm going to call one of the help lines on the DOT web page and ask. I'm sure that will be a thrill. I have thought about just driving up to the scale house one day to ask, but I doubt that those folks will have the time to answer questions and it's 1.5 hour drive. We just had acommercial vehicle enforcement day in Southern MD a week ago that netted something like 144 citations, a dozen or so warnings and a 5 mile traffic backup. All in a very rural area - they even got one guy twice - he was placed out of service and they caught him on the road a few minutes later. I already had my numbers on the truck and all my ducks in a row (I think), but I wasn't on that route that day.
Funny Re: the health card - I went to renew my CDL last year and use my US DOT issued flight medical card at the MD MVA office. You'd have thought that I tried to pay with three dollar bills or something. They didn't want to take it because they had never seen one before. Didn't matter that the reg only said "DOT issued medical certificate". They finally denied it (after deliberating for 2 hours with no less than 3 supervisors) because it didn't have "an expiration date" - what it did say was "valid for 2 years from date of issue" and the issue date... They agreed that while I was safe to fly a plane OVER their house, I needed another physical to drive in front of it.
ahhh the joys of the MVA...

 

[Orchard Ex]

one more question - As a new company I have 18 months to have a "Safety Inspection" by the DOT. Has anyone been through this? Just what does it involve? Records check? Interview? Site visit?
-K

 

[John Banks]

Just what does it involve? Records check? Interview? Site visit?
-K

All of the above. And when they show up, it's suggested that you don't ask them to reschedule. You'll need all you're paperwork and then some. This info comes from a "friend".

 

[DKinWA]

Our local Kenworth shop is certified to perform DOT inspections, so I had it done when I had the coolant system flushed in August. I had one light out and they fixed it so the truck passed no problems. I don't recall what the inspection cost, but the coolant flush/refill, DOT inspection on truck and one equipment trailer was around $350. I thought the prices was pretty reasonable.

Dwan, didn't you have to join a consortium for your drug testing? I had to join so I was in a much larger group of drivers and could actually be pulled at random. I think the premployment drug screening was around $65 plus $75 a year for one driver to maintain all the paperwork.

I also found out this year it's important to keep your medical card current. Before mine expired, I told myself I need to schedule my physical with my doctor and then promptly forgot :yup . About a month later I got inspected at the scales and yep, you guessed it. Not only did I get a $157 ticket for expired medical card, I had one low tire on the trailer and he put my trailer out of service. I called the local tire shop to come out and fix the tire and when they got there, the officer walked by and said I could go as soon as the mechanic was done. I was surprised he let me drive away with an expired medical (about 30 days expired), but I wasn't about to ask questions and hit the road pronto. When I was a couple of miles away from the scale, I was on the phone with my doctors office and got my physical the next day :thumbsup

 

[Dwan Hall]

"Dwan, didn't you have to join a consortium for your drug testing?"

I have been aproched by several firms and told I had to join to comply. So I checked with DOT here in Alaska and they said I could perform my own scedual. so I scedual 1 every 2 years with my dot physical which is part of it anyway and doesn't cost anyaditional.
As far as DOT truck inspection I find nothing in the regulations that sais I can not preform it myself. I am a machanic and have been for 40 years, no one know my equipment better then me. I don't trust anyone else working on my brakes. I fill out the proper papers sign them and put a note in the truck that says it was inspected on a certin date and the inspection is on file at my office. That is all that is required by law. It has passed at least 6 roadside inspections with no problem. The only rightups I have had was a broken mid side reflector. whitch I pointed out to the inspector was not required because my truck was not long enough to require it. He said it was there and broken so he was righting me up anyway. I then took out my tire thumper and broke it off the rest of the way and he cleared the ticket. I also recieved a ticket for a cluttered cab becaust of a hammer head behind the driver seat. He said it could move forward and get under the brake peddel. and one for a loose front bumper bolt. (1 of 8)