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If you watch the national news, you may have heard about the new trucking rules that have gone into effect over this past year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) governs truck and bus safety in this nation to help prevent commercial motor vehicle crashes. Some of the ways the FMCSA does this is by enforcing safety regulations and targeting high-risk commercial drivers and bad bus and truck companies.
Common Rules That Truck and Bus Companies Ignore
Catching dangerous drivers and truck and bus companies can sometimes be difficult to do, which is why there are new rules in place to make it easier for the FMCSA to shut down these bad companies that disregard the law and the public’s safety. Unfortunately, some commercial vehicle companies ignore safety rules, such as:
- Failing to inspect and maintain their vehicles regularly
- Asking their drivers to drive beyond the hours-of-service rules
- Not testing their drivers for alcohol or drug use
- Letting individuals without the proper qualifications drive
- Operating unsafe vehicles that were ordered to be put out of service
Not only are these unsafe truck and bus companies putting their own drivers and passengers in harm’s way, but they are making other motorists sharing the road with them vulnerable to being in a trucking accident. Because the FMCSA wants to keep the public safe and reduce as many trucking accidents as possible, they have cracked down on the bad companies that are violating the law.
An Effort to Finally Shut Down Dangerous Companies
The new rule, Patterns of Safety Violations by Motor Carrier Management, expands the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s power and makes it easier for them to shut down dangerous companies that have shown a pattern of egregious disregard for the law. This new law became effective last month and allows the FMCSA to suspend or revoke the operating authority of such companies.
This means that the bus and truck companies that have caused serious and fatal traffic accidents, that have been previously shut down, and have reopened under a different name and operating authority can now be shut down again. This new rule allows the FMCSA to identify those companies that reincarnate themselves under a different name. Even though companies may have a new name, they are still using the same fleet of dangerous vehicles and drivers and are still prioritizing their profits over the public’s safety.
Helping to Protect Innocent Motorists
The FMCSA knows that roadway safety starts at the very top of these companies, which is why they are targeting companies that have owners and managers with a history of safety violations. This new law is allowing them stamp out the bad managers to better combat the war against unsafe bus and truck companies in an effort to protect the public.
While there are many bad truck and bus companies that have been shut down, there are many more still operating unsafe vehicles on the roads in Florida and nationwide. We encourage you to drive safely around commercial vehicles and to be aware of the risks. If you found this article helpful, please share it with others on Facebook to help spread awareness of this issue.
