Posts by Lindsey Bergeron
The New Medical Card Rule Is Now in Effect. Here’s What You Need to Know
After nearly a decade of delays, the Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration rule finally went into effect this week, and with it came the end of paper medical cards for CDL drivers. This rule change was the focus of yesterday’s inaugural webinar from US Compliance Services, hosted by independent content strategist Lindsey Bergeron and Steve Harz,…
Read MoreYour Complete Guide to FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Testing Requirements [2025 Update]
In the past five years alone, FMCSA investigators have documented more than 90,000 violations related to drug and alcohol testing compliance. No, that’s not a typo. With the average penalty exceeding $9,000 per violation and some fines reaching well into the five figures, even minor oversights in your testing program can deliver a significant financial…
Read MoreHow to Prepare for Operation Safe Driver Week 2025
Operation Safe Driver Week is only a month away. Are you and your drivers ready? The annual enforcement event, sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), is scheduled for July 13–19, 2025. Throughout the week, law enforcement agencies across North America will increase efforts to curb unsafe driving. And although the CVSA organizes the…
Read MoreAre You Ready for FMCSA’s New Digital Medical Card Rule?
After several delays, the wait is nearly over. On June 23, 2025, the FMCSA’s long-awaited Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration rule takes effect. As covered in previous updates, this rule will significantly change how CDL and CLP drivers manage medical certification, as the FMCSA is phasing out paper medical cards and replacing them with a fully…
Read MoreThe Ultimate Guide to DOT Driver Qualification Files [2025 Update]
Are you keeping up with your driver qualification files? Over the past five years, FMCSA investigators have issued more than 62,000 violations related to driver files. That’s nearly 17% of all violations recorded—making DQF issues one of the most common (and most preventable) problems carriers face. And in most cases, the problem is simple: missing…
Read MoreWhy Continuous MVR Monitoring is Critical for DOT Compliance
As a DOT-regulated employer, you do everything in your power to hire qualified, safety-conscious drivers. You run background checks, review motor vehicle records, and vet every driver thoroughly before they get behind the wheel. But once they’re on the road, a lot can happen. Unless you’re checking in regularly (or riding along for every mile),…
Read MoreThe New FMCSA Digital Medical Card Rule Is Almost Here
Bye-bye paper medical cards. On June 23, 2025, the FMCSA Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration rule finally goes into effect, significantly changing how commercial drivers’ medical certification information is collected, stored, and shared. On that date, paper medical cards will be officially phased out for all DOT-regulated drivers in favor of a streamlined, electronic system. This…
Read MorePhase II of the DOT Clearinghouse Is Now in Effect
If it feels like the DOT Clearinghouse just added another layer of compliance to your already full plate, you’re not wrong. Phase II is here, and this time, it’s the states that are getting involved. Now that the new rule is in effect, State Driver’s Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) must run a query of the…
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