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DOT Proposes Fentanyl Testing for CDL Drivers
On September 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would add fentanyl and its metabolite norfentanyl to the mandatory drug testing panel for commercial truck drivers. If finalized, this would mark the first major expansion of DOT’s testing program since 2017, reflecting the growing threat of…
Read MoreIs Your UCR Renewal Due for 2026?
It’s that time of year again. Annual Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) opens on October 1, 2025, and carriers have until December 31, 2025, to renew for the 2026 registration year. Miss the deadline, and you won’t be operating legally in interstate commerce come January 1. For many fleets, the last quarter of the year is…
Read MoreWhat Is FMCSA 392.2 and Why Is It the Top Audit Violation?
What’s the most common FMCSA audit violation? If you guessed hours of service, drug and alcohol testing, or vehicle maintenance, you’d be wrong. The answer has held steady for every year on record: 49 CFR §392.2, Violation of Local Laws. This single regulation has generated 34,278 violations across 22,485 investigations from 2021 to 2025. That’s…
Read MoreFMCSA Clearinghouse Update: One in 30 CDL Drivers Is in Prohibited Status
The FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse was designed to close a critical gap in trucking safety. Before 2020, drivers who failed or refused drug and alcohol tests could move between carriers without their violations following them. The Clearinghouse created a centralized system to track these violations, and the June 2025 report shows just how essential…
Read MoreCVSA Cracks Down on ELD Tampering: What to Know
Electronic logging devices (ELDs) were meant to take the guesswork out of logbooks and keep fatigued drivers off the road. But it didn’t take long for some to figure out how to game the system. Now, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is drafting a new inspection bulletin aimed at stopping ELD tampering in its…
Read MoreHow FMCSA Audits Are Changing This Year
If you’re a DOT-regulated motor carrier with any compliance weak spots, the FMCSA’s latest audit trends are worth paying attention to. In 2025, the agency has been quietly shifting how it conducts audits, with on-site focused reviews projected to reach their highest level in the past five years. Carriers with known issues are feeling the…
Read MoreFMCSA Grants Digital Medical Card Waiver Until October 12, 2025
Ah, the best laid plans. The FMCSA’s long-awaited Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration rule (also known as the National Registry II rule) was supposed to go into effect on June 23, 2025. However, because twelve states are still transitioning to a fully electronic system, the FMCSA has issued a temporary waiver until October 12, 2025. Below,…
Read MoreWhy Digital Recordkeeping Is Now Essential for DOT Compliance
Digital driver qualification files are no longer a nice-to-have. For FMCSA-regulated motor carriers, they’re a must. The federal government has been pushing for electronic records for years, and now that push is showing up at the state level, too. Consider this: As of June 2025, the FMCSA requires medical examiners to upload DOT physical results…
Read MoreWhy Paying Attention to Your CSA Score is More Important Than Ever
When was the last time you checked in on your company’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) score? Since the CSA program went into effect in 2010, these scores have provided key insights to the FMCSA, insurance companies, and industry partners about each motor carrier’s safety and compliance history. Paying attention to your CSA score has always…
Read More2025 Brake Safety Week Scheduled for August 24–30
Following International Roadcheck and Operation Safe Driver Week, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA’s) third major enforcement campaign of 2025 is approaching fast. Scheduled for August 24-30, 2025, Brake Safety Week means intensified inspections across North America—and immediate out-of-service orders for any CMV with critical brake violations. With almost 1 in 8 trucks placed out…
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