Trucking violations can be found with the driver or vehicle. What are some precautions to take in order to avoid them?
Trucking rules and regulations get enforced for a good reason: they’re put in place to protect truck drivers and others from dangerous accidents that can occur from reckless or poor vehicle handling. Many truckers don’t willfully commit wrongdoings or try to skirt the system. However, trucking violations can still be found for minor compliance issues or even misunderstanding of the laws. Individual truckers and fleet owners can educate themselves on ways to reduce the chances of committing a trucking violation.
Clarifying Rules
Drivers who go through commercial driver’s license training and obtain their license would have learned the rules and regulations imposed on the truck operators. This education includes proper driving and handling of commercial vehicles, as well as their hours-of-service limitations. New, or even those who are more experienced, truckers may be unclear of specific rules and can find themselves accidentally committing a trucking violation. For example, the driver should understand and use personal conveyance appropriately at their discretion. Abusing their personal conveyance can be caught by a DOT inspector and will result in a violation.
Referring to ELDs
Electronic logging devices, or ELDs, are found in nearly all commercial vehicles. This piece of trucking technology automatically tracks hours-of-service, miles driven, speed limit, and stops. Tampering with the logged information is prohibited to prevent false reporting. Before these devices were required in most vehicles, many companies would face a trucking violation for not having current or up-to-date logs of hours driven by truckers.
Companies that keep records of their drivers’ performance through metrics gathered from ELDs can take the proper steps to address negative driving behavior. Are some drivers speeding or hard-braking too often? Bring this information to light with them to make them more conscientious of their driving next time they are on the road.
Don’t Skip on Inspections
Improperly maintained vehicles or not having the necessary paperwork on hand at routine stops can be grounds for trucking violations. Conducting pre-trip and post-trip inspections can catch vehicular violations, such as broken headlights, turn signals, or windshields before truckers get fined. These inspections may even detect other avoidable vehicle issues that might result in the truck breaking down. Checks can be even more critical to avoid trucking violations from specialized deliveries, such as not having all the proper documentation and identification for delivering hazardous materials. While regular inspections are part of the job, fleet owners can conduct mock inspections at any time to check that everything is compliant with regulations.
For All Your Trucking Needs
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