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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
Question 1: Must a driver prepare a written report of a pre-trip inspection performed under §392.7? FMCSA-DRV-392.7-Q001 Driver pre-trip inspection
A company has a truck with a GVWR under 10,001 pounds towing a trailer with a GVWR under 10,001 pounds. However, the GVWR of the truck added to the GVWR of the trailer is greater than 10,001 pounds. Would the company operating this vehicle in interstate c FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q011 Applicability of FMCSRs to combination vehicles with individual GVWs under 10,001 pounds, but GCWRs above 10,001 pounds
May a motor carrier, for the purposes of §391.41, or a State driver licensing agency, for the purposes of §383.71, accept the results of a medical examination performed by a foreign medical examiner? FMCSA-MED-391.43-Q1 Medical Certification of Foreign Drivers
May the step be a rung? If so, what minimum diameter must the rung be? FMCSA-RG-399.207-FAQ04 Access requirements for truck and truck-tractor cabs
What documentation must a driver claiming the 100-air-mile radius exemption (§395.1(e)) have in his/her possession? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q13 Hours of Service Exceptions
A driver returns to his/her normal work reporting location from a location beyond the 100-air-mile radius and goes off duty for 7 hours. May the driver return to duty after being off-duty for 7 hours and utilize the 100-air-mile radius exemption? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q22 Hours of Service Exceptions
Does a frame channel of a CMV constitute a protective ‘‘sheath or tube’’ as specified in §393.28? FMCSA-VEH-393.28-Q01 Frame channel as protective “sheath or tube”
What is meant by the term "as required by law" in relation to State or local laws for disclosure of public records relating to a driver’s testing information and test results? FMCSA-D&A-382.405-Q05 Drug & Alcohol Testing Records - Access
How should time spent in transit on a ferry boat be recorded? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q12
Does § 393.83 specify the type of exhaust system, vertical or horizontal, to be used on trucks or truck tractors? FMCSA-VEH-393.83-Q02 Vertical vs. horizontal exhaust systems