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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
A person involved in an incident discovers that he or she is injured after leaving the scene of the incident and receives medical attention at that time. Does the incident meet the definition of accident in 49 CFR 390.5T? FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q020 Injury discovered after leaving scene of accident
Must a driver who is returning from an illness or injury undergo a medical examination even if his current medical certificate has not expired? FMCSA-MED-391.45-Q3 Driver Physical Qualification Examination
When a driver works for two or more employers, in whose random pool must the driver be included? FMCSA-D&A-382.305-Q08 Guidance on including in the random pool drivers who work for two or more employers
If an interstate driver gets stopped by a State enforcement officer for an inspection, would the inspecting officer be enforcing the Federal regulations or State regulations? FMCSA-RG-390.9-Q001 Regulations enforced by State officers
How must a driver record time spent on-call awaiting dispatch? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q20 Hours of Service Definitions
§ 393.42(b)(3) of the FMCSRs states that any full trailer, any semitrailer, or any pole trailer having a gross weight of 3,000 pounds or less must be equipped with brakes FMCSA-VEH-393.42-Q03 Must manufacturer install brakes on certain lightweight trailers?
A driver drives on streets and highways during the week and jockeys commercial motor vehicles in the yard (private property) on weekends. How is the yard time to be recorded? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q09 Hours of Service
On multiple drive shaft buses, does § 393.89 require that all segments of the drive shaft be protected no matter the segments’ length? FMCSA-VEH-393.89-Q02 Protection for multiple drive shafts on buses
Question 2: May the due date for the next inspection satisfy the requirements for the inspection date on the sticker or decal? FMCSA-VM-396.17-Q02.cm Inspection date on decal vs. next periodic inspection date
If an inter modal container is attached to a chassis at the time of a periodic inspection, must the container also be inspected to comply with § 396.17 inspection requirements? FMCSA-VM-396.17-Q13.cm Musts container on intermodal chassis be inspected during periodic inspection?