Transportation Resources
It seems that folks are always asking questions about federal law concerning their truck, van, pickup, dump truck, or tractor trailer. There is a trailer load of regulations and guidelines from DOT, but also from OSHA, FMCSA, NHTSA, NTSB, and probably a lot more from other alphabet soup-like organizations.
Although compliance based safety has limitations, it is an important part of any company-wide program. All questions can’t possibly be answered in this format, but the following resources should help.
For a comprehensive list of topics, links, and FAQs from DOT, check out this website:
https://transportation.libanswers.com/. Also, https://www.transportation.gov/ can provide a great starting point for a specific topic you have questions about.
A concise review of the regulations regarding DOT drug testing can be found at: http://www.dot.gov/ost/dapc/odapc/v3_slide0001.htm
If you want to know DOT records on a motor carrier’s out-of-service rates, moving violations or inspection results, they can be found at: http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/CompanySnapshot.aspx. If you find errors in your company record, they can be corrected and other information obtained at http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS/.
Need to know what the cell phone laws are in different states? Check out the reference library at www.safety.BLR.com. This reference will list the restrictions state by state. Be sure to access BLR through MEMIC’s Safety Director to ensure full access at no cost. BLR is a great resource for all your transportation related needs as well as general workplace safety issues.
Get the latest information regarding Maine’s transportation laws, 100 mile exemption, drug testing, turnpike weight limits, and much more at www.mmta.com. This is the home page for the Maine Motor Transport Association. They are also a great resource for setting up drug testing for Maine companies.
Do you have questions about hours of service? CSA-2010? Distracted driver issues? The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has the answers at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/.
The list can go on and on, but that's a good start. This is definitely the information age, so regardless of what your question might be, I’m confident you can find the answer through one of these resources. Lastly, don’t forget the MEMIC Safety Director Resource Library has access to over 350 safety-related documents. MEMIC is your partner in the prevention of workplace injury.
