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Regulatory Guidance

Welcome to the FMCSA Guidance Portal. This web portal is a searchable, indexed database that contains and links to all guidance documents in effect from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract.

To comment on any guidance document, or to request issuance, reconsideration, modification, or rescission of any guidance document, please identify the guidance document in your request and send it to: FMCSAguidance@dot.gov. NOTE: The FMCSAguidance mailbox is not intended to serve as a mailbox for general inquiries. For inquiries that go beyond the limited purpose of the FMCSAguidance mailbox, please call FMCSA's Information Line (800-832-5660) or visit FMCSA's "Contact Us" page to send your inquiry to the appropriate mailbox.

Subject Agency Identifier Topic Issued Date
Section 390.3T(f)(5) provides an exemption from the FMCSRs for the operation of fire trucks and rescue vehicles while such vehicles are being used in emergency and related operations. Section 390.23 provides an exception to most of the FMCSRs FMCSA-RG-390.3T-FAQ029 Differences between § 390.3T(f)(5) and § 390.23 when applied to contract wildfire suppression services
49 CFR § 390.3T General Applicability Question 24 FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q024 FMCSA jurisdiction over drivers operating only occasionally in interstate commerce
May a motor carrier return a driver’s completed record of duty status to the driver for correction of inaccurate or incomplete entries? FMCSA-HOS-395.8-Q08 Hours of Service Records of Duty Status
Do the physical qualification requirements of the FMCSRs infringe upon a person’s religious beliefs if such beliefs prohibit being examined by a licensed doctor of medicine or osteopathy? FMCSA-MED-391.41-Q2 Driver Physical Qualification Standards
May windshields and side windows be tinted? FMCSA-VEH-393.60-Q01 Tinting of windshields and side windows
May an automatic on-board recording device use an algorithm to identify the location of each change in duty status relative to the nearest city, town, or village? FMCSA-ELD-HOS-395.15-Q03 AOBRD use of algorithm
What kinds of oilfield equipment may drivers operate while taking advantage of the special rule of Section 395.1(d)(2)? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q08 Hours of Service Exceptions
May an employer use the results of another program in which a driver participates to satisfy random testing requirements if the driver is used by the employer only occasionally? FMCSA-D&A-382.305-Q05 Using another’s program to satisfy random testing requirements
Occasionally, the driver has leftover materials that must be transported back to a motor carrier facility or service depot. Would such a return trip be covered by §395.1(d)(1)? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q10 Hours of Service Exceptions
Applicability of FMCSRs when schools charge trip fees FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q011 Applicability of FMCSRs when schools charge trip fees