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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: May an entity other than a motor carrier maintain the evidence of inspector qualifications required by § 396.19(b)? FMCSA-VM-396.19-Q01 May a garage maintain evidence of inspector qualifications
Do the definitions of "farm", "farmer" and "agricultural crops" apply to greenhouse operations? FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q001 Applicability of farm-related definitions to greenhouse operations
What types of equipment are included in the category of off-road motorized construction equipment? FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q008 Meaning of “off-road motorized construction equipment”
If a high-profile COE truck or truck-tractor is equipped with a seat on the passenger’s side, must steps and handholds be provided for any person entering or exiting on that side of the vehicle? FMCSA-RG-399.207-FAQ01 Access requirements for truck and truck-tractor cabs
Once an employee is randomly tested during a calendar year, is his/her name removed from the pool of names for the calendar year? FMCSA-D&A-382.305-Q06 Guidance that the names of drivers tested earlier in the year must be returned to the pool for each new selection
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
Are there any special lighting requirements for large containers? FMCSA-VEH-393.25-Q02 Lighting requirements for large containers
May an employer or consortium include non-U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)-covered employees in a random pool with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)-covered employees? FMCSA-D&A-382.305-Q15 Employers placing non-DOT -covered employees in a random pool
If a “driver trainer” occasionally drives a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), thereby becoming a “driver” (regardless of whether he/she is paid for driving), must the driver record all non driving (training) time as on-duty (not driving)? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q08 Hours of Service Definitions