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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
Are drivers required to draw continuous lines between the off-duty, sleeper berth, driving, and on-duty (not driving) lines on a record of duty status when changing their duty status? FMCSA-HOS-395.8-Q13 Hours of Service Records of Duty Status
When must a contract school bus operator comply with part 387? FMCSA-INS-387.27-Q004 Contract school bus operator compliance with Part 387 Subpart B
May drivers be coerced into employing loading or unloading assistance (lumpers)? FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q015 Prohibition on coercion to use lumpers
To what extent must a motor carrier review a driver’s overall driving record to comply with the requirements of § 391.25? FMCSA-DQ-391.25-Q001-RESCINDED Driving record annual inquiry
Question 1: Does §392.60 require a driver to carry a copy of the written authorization (required to transport passengers) on board a CMV? FMCSA-DRV-392.60-Q001 Transportation of unauthorized persons
If a vehicle with a manufacturer’s GVWR of less than 10,001 pounds has been structurally modified to carry a heavier load, may an enforcement officer use the higher actual gross weight of the vehicle, instead of the GVWR, to determine the applicability of FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q004 Applicability of FMCSRs to vehicle modified to carry heavier loads
Who is responsible for ensuring that medical certifications meet the requirements? FMCSA-MED-391.41-Q1 Driver Physical Qualification Standards
Must all drivers who do not work for an extended period of time (such as layoffs over the winter or summer months) be pre-employment drug tested each season when they return to work? FMCSA-D&A-382.301-Q04 Pre-employment testing requirement for drivers who do not work for an extended period of time
May specially trained drivers of specially constructed oil well servicing vehicles cumulate the 8 consecutive hoby combining off-duty time or sleeper-berth time at a natural gas or oil well site with off duty while en route to or from the well? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q11 Hours of Service Exceptions
A driver has tested positive and completed the referral and evaluation process up to the point of being released by the SAP for a return-to-duty test. FMCSA-D&A-382.309-Q01 Drug & Alcohol Testing – Reasonable Suspicion