The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducts roadside inspections to ensure commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) and their drivers comply with regulations. During these inspections, Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspectors may issue out-of-service (OOS) orders to drivers for serious violations. Violations must be corrected before the driver or vehicle can return to service. To maintain a safe fleet and comply with regulations, it’s crucial to understand the most common OOS violations.
Here are the top 10 vehicles and driver OOS orders issued during the 2022 fiscal year:
Vehicle Violations
- Tire-flat or audible air leak
- Brakes out-of-service: The number of defective brakes is equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle or combination.
- Inoperative turn signal
- No/improper breakaway or emergency braking
- Flat tire or fabric exposed
- Inoperative brake lamps
- Inoperable required lamp
- Inspection, repair, and maintenance violation
- Brake tubing and hose inadequacy
- Axle positioning parts defective/missing
Driver Violations
- Commercial driver’s license violation
- False report of driver’s record of duty status
- ELD: No record of duty status (ELD required)
- No record of duty status when one is required (ELD not required)
- General Qualifications of drivers violation
- Driver failing to retain previous seven days’ records of duty status
- Driver does not have a valid operator’s license for the CMV being operated
- False record of duty status—Improper use of Personal Conveyance Exception
- Physical Qualifications for drivers violation
- Prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions per 382.501(a) in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
Out-of-service violations can lead to costly business disruptions and significant reputational harm. To prevent them, it’s important to prioritize maintenance and preventive measures. At Barnard Donegan Insurance (BDI), we offer a range of commercial insurance products and services to help keep your fleet safe and in compliance with regulations. Our risk management experts can provide guidance on how to prevent OOS violations and minimize the impact of a potential violation. Contact us today to learn more about how BDI can help protect your business.
