Commercial trucking is a very important industry. As businesses grow more and more reliant on e-commerce, the demand for rapid transportation of goods is only going to increase. You need to make sure that your commercial trucking operations are quick and efficient if you want to stay in the game. At the same time, you need to make sure that you comply with all federal laws. Here are three tips to get you started.
Follow FMCSA Regulations
Commercial trucking is regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). In order to make sure that you are up to date with federal requirements, you should review FMCSA policies on a regular basis. It is important that you keep your employees informed. It is good practice to hold trainings at regular intervals to teach changes to regulations and reinforce company guidelines regarding proper procedures. By recording your efforts to follow FMCSA regulations you can protect yourself against liability if one of your employees violates them. As a business that practices commercial trucking, you need to update your motor identification every two years. If you have any questions about the FMCSA, you can give them a call or visit their website.
Licensing Requirements
Because commercial vehicles are often larger, they can often be more dangerous. For this reason, among others, the federal government requires special licensing for the operation of a commercial vehicle. In order to comply with federal regulations all of your drivers must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). It is important to note that there are three different categories of CDLs. The categories are Class A, Class B, and Class C. These classes divide different commercial vehicles into different categories. Your drivers must have a class license corresponding to the class of vehicle that they are driving. The class licenses do not transfer to other class vehicles.
Follow Working Limitations
Driving while drowsy or tired is extremely dangerous. Because of this, federal law has imposed limitations on how much a commercial truck driver can drive. It is important that you follow these regulations. It isn’t worth passing the limits in an effort to speed up shipping. This will result in you being entirely liable for accidents. You could even be shut down and have your business license revoked. Keep accurate driving logs of each of your drivers' work so that you can avoid problems.
By making sure that you are on the right side of the law, your trucking business will be able to operate with integrity. The regulations may seem cumbersome but remember that they reflect the best practices that will keep you and your drivers safe. After all, safety should always come first.
If you own a trucking business, it’s important to protect your company from liability. Contact us to get a quote so we can help you with your commercial trucking insurance needs!