New FMCSA Rule Tightens Eligibility for Non-Domiciled CDL Drivers
After months of legal challenges and regulatory uncertainty, the rules for non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses are about to change. On February 13, 2026, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a Final Rule that significantly tightens who can obtain, renew, transfer, or upgrade a non-domiciled CLP or CDL. The rule is scheduled to take […]
How Motor Carriers Can Prepare for International Roadcheck 2026
In just a few months, commercial vehicle inspectors across North America will begin conducting roadside inspections at a rapid pace. They’ll be examining nearly 15 commercial motor vehicles every minute for three consecutive days. The effort is part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck, the largest targeted enforcement initiative for commercial motor […]
Understanding the MCS-150 Form and Biennial Update Requirements
Getting your USDOT number is the first step to operating legally as a motor carrier. But keeping that registration current is just as important. FMCSA requires carriers to update their information through a filing called the MCS-150. While it’s a relatively simple form, it plays a critical role in maintaining an active operating status and […]
Why Paper-Based Compliance Systems Are Costing Carriers More Than They Realize
Despite years of digital transformation across the trucking industry, thousands of motor carriers still manage DOT compliance with paper files, Excel spreadsheets, and sticky notes. And it’s costing them. In a recent webinar hosted by US Compliance Services, Head of Sales Alex Elias and DOT Compliance Consultant Steve Harz explained why paper-based systems are no […]
FMCSA Clearinghouse FAQ: Queries, Consent, and Compliance
The FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse launched in January 2020 to solve a serious problem: drivers who failed or refused drug and alcohol tests were slipping through the cracks and moving between carriers without their violations following them. The FMCSA Clearinghouse closed that gap by creating a centralized database that tracks violations across the industry. […]
Why Annual MVR Checks Aren’t Enough for DOT Compliance
All motor carriers must run a motor vehicle report on every driver at least once a year. And while that report provides an accurate snapshot of where drivers stand now, it doesn’t account for what may happen tomorrow or the day after that. A lot can happen over 364 days: a string of speeding tickets, […]
Motus Is Here: FMCSA’s Long-Awaited Registration Overhaul Is Finally Rolling Out
If you’ve spent any time wrestling with the FMCSA Portal, you know “user-friendly” isn’t exactly how most people would describe it. After years of clunky legacy platforms, paper forms, and juggling multiple logins, the trucking industry is finally getting the registration upgrade it deserves. FMCSA’s new system—called Motus—became available in December 2025 to service providers […]
The Most Common FMCSA Audit Violations of 2025
In 2025, motor carriers were cited for more than 62,000 FMCSA audit violations. Those violations spanned 865 different violation codes, covering everything from highly specialized drug and alcohol issues, such as using an unqualified breath alcohol technician to conduct a required test, to rare hazardous materials documentation failures, like not displaying an ID number on […]
4 Reasons Paper-Based Compliance Systems Are Putting Your Fleet at Risk
Over the past five years, roughly 20 percent of FMCSA audit violations have been tied to documentation and recordkeeping issues. These are not violations tied to unsafe drivers or poorly maintained equipment. Rather, they come from paperwork that was missing, incomplete, or out of date when it was requested. In most cases, those gaps don’t […]
FMCSA Extends Paper Medical Card Waiver (Again): What Motor Carriers Need to Know
A show of hands…who’s getting tired of hearing about the transition to digital medical cards? In one of the messier, more confusing regulatory rollouts in recent years, the FMCSA has just issued yet another waiver extending the use of paper medical cards until April 10, 2026. This is now the fourth extension since the rule […]