Trucking rules and regulations are changing all the time, but who can stay on top of it? If you don’t have a lawyer to help you sift through all the legal-speak, you can find yourself in a difficult spot. Punishments for breaking the rules range from fines to permanent blemishes on your driving record to complete revocation of your commercial driving license. To make life easier, we’ve listed some of the most important rules you should know (though there are certainly many more).
Hours-of-Service
New rules about how much time drivers can spend on the road are here! Some notable changes include the 34-hour restart rule (meaning drivers must take a 34 hour break from driving if they work 70 hours in one week) and more required rest breaks. We detailed the most important parts of the hours of service rule changes here .
Broker Bond Requirements
One of the biggest changes to hit the trucking industry in the past few years. The rule, part of a new Highway Bill, requires brokers to post a bond or other financial security of at least $75,000 starting October 1, 2013. The bond protects the broker in a number of situations – such as if it files bankruptcy and cannot pay carriers. Currently, the bond minimum is $10,000. More information is available here.
CSA Score
In many ways, your CSA score is a magic number. It determines who will hire you as a driver, the cost of insurance and who will let you haul a load for them. It is made up of a number of things: whether you have a record of unsafe driving, whether you’ve followed hours-of-service rules, whether you’ve driven while under the influence of a controlled substance or alcohol, how well you maintain your vehicle, how many crashes you’ve caused and your general fitness.
Loss and Damage Claims Rules:
Contract breaches happen to the best of truckers. The details of filing a claim on a load should be specified in your bill of lading. However, did you realize there’s a time limit? If you don’t file your claim within 9 months, you can’t recover anything, according to the law.
These are just a few of the top rules that you need to follow, but they are the most visible and often the most important. If you have a chance to hire a good lawyer, do so, because they can help you navigate the complicated ins and outs of trucking regulation.