The following frequently asked questions (FAQs) were developed to highlight vehicle maintenance requirements for foreign motor carriers operating in cross-border transportation in the United States.  The FMCSA has published a significant number of vehicle maintenance related FAQs for all motor carriers operating a commercial motor vehicle in the United States, therefore please refer to the FMCSA website for additional vehicle maintenance related FAQs. 

PERIODIC VEHICLE INSPECTION

Q1:  Do vehicles inspected under a periodic Canadian or Mexican inspection program comply with the FMCSA periodic inspection standards?

A1:  Yes.  The FMCSA has determined that the periodic inspection programs required by all of the Canadian Provinces and Mexico's Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) defined in the Norma Oficial Mexicana (NOM, or Official Mexican Standard) NOM-068-SCT-2-2014 are comparable to, or as effective as, the periodic inspection requirements contained in the FMCSRs - Appendix G.

DRIVER VEHICLE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS

Q1:  How does the Final Rule published on December 18, 2014, by the FMCSA that rescinded the requirement that commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers operating in the United States in interstate commerce, except drivers of passenger-carrying CMVs, submit, and motor carriers retain, the driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIR) when the driver has neither found nor been made aware of any vehicle defects or deficiencies (no-defect DVIR) impact U.S drivers operating in Canada?

A1:  This change only applies to operations in the United States only.  To continue to comply with Canadian National and Provincial regulations, U.S.-based motor carriers need to complete and retain DVIRs when operating in Canada regardless of whether or not defects are noted.