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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
Is the driver required to record meal and other routine stops as off-duty time, or is it the driver’s decision whether such time is recorded as off-duty? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q03 Hours of Service Definitions
How should time spent at National Guard meetings and training sessions be recorded for the hours of service requirements? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q28 Hours of Service Definitions
Are the brakes on a vehicle towed in a driveaway-towaway operation or towed disabled vehicle required to be operable at all times? FMCSA-VEH-393.48-Q03 Are operable brakes required on disabled or driveaway-towaway vehicles?
When calculating the minimum emergency exit space required on school buses used in non-school bus operations, should two or three passengers per bench seat be used in determining the adult seating capacity? FMCSA-VEH-393.62-Q02 Seating capacity of school buses used for adults
Does § 393.104(b) require that securement devices be marked or labeled with their working load limit or any other information? FMCSA-VEH-393.104-Q02 Marking of securement devices with working load limits
Do community lectures and self-help groups qualify as education and/or treatment? FMCSA-D&A-382.605-Q6 Community Groups and Self-Help as Treatment
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