With compliance becoming a bigger issue (CSA 2010, etc) it’s important that moving companies are in line with driver regulations.  Here’s a general idea of classifications for moving company drivers.

Moving Company Drivers That Require a Class D License:

Single vehicle with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of less than 16,000lbs. 

This is a company car or probably a vehicle like an econoline van or small box truck with a 12’, 15’, or 16’ box (remember GVWR is the weight designated by the manufacturer as the maximum loaded weight of the vehicle not the empty or “tare weight”).

*Any vehicle with a GVWR or GCWR (Gross combining weight rating)over 10,001 lbs requires the driver to carry a DOT Medical Card.  Anyone who does require a medical card should also have a driver file.

Moving Company Drivers That Require a Class C License:

Single vehicle with a GVWR between 16,001 lbs, and 26,000 lbs.

This is a much larger category that likely includes 16’box trucks up to 24’or 26’ straight trucks (the 24’ & 26’ category can require either a “C” license or possible a CDL B license depending on the GVWR, and how the truck is registered and plated). 

This is very important to know before putting a driver in the truck.

One common misconception is that a Class “C” truck with air brakes requires air brake endorsement, it does not.  The only time endorsements are required is under the CDL program.

Also a “Class C” license can be obtained at any secretary of state facility (not just the special CDL facilities).

Drivers in this class are not required to be in the random drug testing pool but are required to have a DOT medical card and driver file.

Moving Company Drivers That Require a CDL B license:

Single vehicle with a GVWR of 26, 001 lbs or such a vehicle that tows a trailer less than 10,000 lbs.

This category is generally 24’-28’ straight trucks that are registered and plated to carrier heavier loads.

This vehicle requires passing of the pretrip inspection test, the basic control skills exam, and the road test or driving exam.

A driver obtaining a CDL B must have a passing pre-employment drug screen and be part of a random drug and alcohol testing program.

Drivers in this category are required to have a driver file with specific background checks for their previous 10 years of driving employment.

Moving Company Drivers That Require a CDL A:

Combination vehicles (commonly known as tractor-trailers) with a GCWR of 26,001 if the trailer being towed is more than 10,000 lbs.

All other qualifications and compliance issues are the same for CDL B and CDL A drivers.

Many of the questions related to the moving company driver qualifications can be answered in the Class C or CDL study materials.  The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration can be contacted at www.fmcsa.dot.gov, and 1-800-832-5660 for verification of driver qual laws related to moving company drivers.  If in doubt, double check the regulations.

The North American Transportation (NTA) Association report in Breaking News From NTA that the new rating program that was originally supposed to be implemented July of 2010 with all states up to speed and functioning by December has been delayed.  The time table looks to be pushed back to initial implementation fall of 2010 with all states fully functioning by summer of 2011.

Although the program has been delayed there will, however, be a limited preview of the program beginning April 12, 2010.  The NTA will assist members by informing them how to access their data from the system when it becomes available.  The preview, it states, will include roadside inspections, crash, and violations data, but it will not reflect carriers’ scores in each of the Behavioral Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASIC’S).  It sounds like the compliance issues are the same but the test isn’t going to be graded.

November 30, 2010 is the date that carriers (and the general public) will be able to view the CSA 2010 data.  Also on November 30, 2010, the FMCSA will begin issuing warning letters to non-compliant carriers but won’t use all disciplinary actions available in the program at that time.  Wayne Schooling is the contact at the NTA for questions.  He can be reached at 1-800-805-0040.

Interstate movers and movers in the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio take note!  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded the emerald ash borer (EAB) quarantine to include these states.  In the article (Emerald Ash Borers FAQ), the questions covered include why did the 3 states listed above get quarantined, and why did they get quarantined in their entirety instead of county by county like the gypsy moth quarantine?  What is a regulated article under the quarantine along with determinations on other types of firewood and types of regulated trees is discussed.  There are plenty of phone numbers for the EAB program in each affected state, and phone numbers for each affected state’s Department of Agriculture.  For a map covering all quarantied areas, visit http://www.emeraldashborer.info/map.cfm.

There is also discussion how regulated articles should and shouldn’t be moved in intrastate and interstate commerce.  Enforcement agencies and penalties are covered and finally the differences in the quarantines of Michigan and Maryland vs. the other quarantined states.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has this and other important environmental information, so do websites like www.dontmovefirewood.org.  So if you’re an interstate mover, it’s a good idea to stay current of these and other environmental issues.  Visit these websites to help stay in compliance.

Dont Move a Serious Pest to a New Neighborhood is an article posted by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) about the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) and the areas in the U.S. and Canada that are considered “quarantined”.  Most people and some moving companies aren’t familiar with what are considered infested areas and the ramifications, both environmentally and legally, for moving gypsy moth egg masses.  The article explains how the egg masses can be moved on outdoor household items like lawn furniture, outdoor toys, garbage cans, etc., if not properly inspected.  It also tells of the damage the larval (caterpillar) stage of gypsy moth can do to trees.

The article goes on to explain how homeowner self inspection and professional inspection are options for gypsy moth inspection.  It details (with pictures) the different stages of the gypsy moths development including what an egg mass looks like.  The egg mass being the most critical to detect and eradicate since each egg mass can contain up to 1000 eggs.  The article details what to do if you find gypsy moth life stages and includes a self inspection check list along with contact information to report gypsy moths and links to various related sites. 

The information is much too important for homeowners and moving companies to ignore or misunderstand!

FMCSA has launched Phase 1 of the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) today.  The PSP is a screening tool that allows motor carriers and individual drivers to purchase drivers’ inspection and crash records contained the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS).  Questions and answers about PSP can be found on the PSP Website, www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov, and are also attached.

PSP will be administered by an FMCSA contractor, National Information Consortium Technologies, LLC (NIC).  Phase 1 will allow motor carriers the opportunity to visit the PSP Website and pre-register for the program by submitting their company contact information.  Motor carriers will not be able to order driver information at this time.  However, pre-registering for the program will expedite motor carrier access to the data once the next phase is launched. 

The motor carrier will download the PSP enrollment package from the PSP Website in order to input all required information, and sign the agreement form.  The motor carrier can then mail the PSP enrollment agreement to Pre-Employment Screening Program, P.O. Box 6810 , McLean , VA   22106 or return a scanned copy of the enrollment package to PSPenrollment@nicusa.com.  The contractor’s customer service representatives will handle e-mails at PSPenrollment@nicusa.com, and telephone requests at 1-877-684-6832.  The PSP call center is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.  To view more information on this click here PSP FAQs021710.

The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) has come out with changes to the New Entrant Safety Assurance Program for US and Canada based motor carriers.  It covers the time table and requirements a new entrant must fulfill along with information regarding safety audits and compliance reviews.  It also covers what components make up the audit process and their associated reg numbers. It lists the changes to the roadside inspection process and the 7 incidents that would trigger corrective action.  Then, depending on the severity of the offense, the corrective action or expedited corrective action that can take place.  It also explains the availability of an administrative review if the carrier feels that the finding of the inspection is incorrect.

A list of violations that would automatically fail the new entrant by category is listed including alcohol and drug violations, driver violations, and operations violations.  Finally, the result of a failed safety audit, information on associated HHG (household goods) and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance and “chameleon carriers” is covered.  To read more on the topic visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov or call the FMCSA Information hotline at 1-800-832-5660.  Also to read more on this view this pamphlet :NE Brochure (revised 1-14-10)

In July of 2010 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will introduce a new program called the comprehensive safety analysis 2010.  The idea behind the program is to make enforcement more efficient and effective.  Currently, the enforcement system only conducts compliance reviews on 12,000 to 13,000 out of the estimate 700,000 carriers, less than 2%.

The system is based on 3 major areas: a safety measurement system, intervention, and safety evaluations. 

Safety Measurement System

The safety measurement system will gather its information from many sources including traffic violations, crashes, and road side inspections.  The information will be split into 7 categories and weighted according to risk.  The categories are unsafe driving, fatigued driving, driver fitness, controlled substances and alcohol, vehicle maintenance, improper loading, and a crash indicator.  The categories will be called Behavioral Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (or BASIC’S) and will replace the current system to evaluation whether a carrier should be investigated.  The difference in the new system is data will be collected for both carriers and drivers too, currently only carriers are evaluated.  One other difference is the data in the unsafe driving category will include warnings and citations instead of the current system that only tracks convictions. 

Intervention

The intervention part of the program kicks in if the safety measurement system warrants action.  The agency will use a progressive system of discipline (and fines) to enforce including warning letters, targeted roadside inspections, offsite or onsite investigations, requirement of a cooperative safety plan, notices of violation, comprehensive onsite investigations (like the current compliance review) and fines.  This is definitely a wider scope of enforcement actions that currently exist.

Safety Evaluations

The data collected will help the agency with a proposed safety evaluation system.  The system will rate carriers safety fitness into the following categories:  Continue to operate, Marginal and Unfit depending on the date collected from the BASIC’S.  Carriers will receive a rating (if the data exists) on a monthly basis.

Lots of questions remain and the CSA 2010 doesn’t appear to be a finished product just yet.  You can view a website with a great deal of information at www.csa2010.com, if you would like to read and understand the program better.

The driver medical card has been seperate from the actual CDL license in the past, but in an effort to improve safety and stream line driver qualification status, the medical card will be phased out and combined with the CDL in January of 2012. 

In May of 2009 the NATA reviewed the new regulations regarding medical card qualifications for drivers and published an article explaining the new rules.  The timing of how the policy would be rolled out, how it would affect current drivers, and how their medical cards would be grandfathered was covered along with how motor carriers would be affected by changes to the MVR (Motor Vehicle Record) timing requirements.  Also covered was which types of drivers would be affected along with Q&A regarding some of the most asked questions.

The purpose of the project per the NATA is not just simplifying the current system but to insure that drivers have current medical clearance and are fit to be behind the wheel.  Projected statistics show an estimated reduction of vehicle crashes by 288 and a savings to the country of $43 millions dollars.

If you are interested in getting more information about the article and other topics like frequently asked questions about the new CDL rules click here “New Rules for Driver’s Medical Card & DQ Files.