FMCSA INCREASES FINES FOR VIOLATIONS OF MOTOR CARRIER REGULATIONS

FMCSA Fines are Increasing

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has increased fines across the board for violations of federal commercial motor vehicle regulations, effective as of April 24 of this year.

FMCSA is required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, to adjust fines annually according to inflation.

As of 2017, all increases are based on a cost of living adjustment multiplier of 1.01636. In 2016, FMCSA issued a “catch-up” adjustment to the fees which raised some fines and lowered others.

In order to avoid being hit with the hefty fines for violating regulations, fleet owners should focus on maintaining clear records to avoid unnecessary penalties, including out-of-service (OOS) orders.

Operating a vehicle already declared OOS increases the fines significantly.

Owners should also pay attention to maintenance, making sure to separate vehicles that can be on the road from those that need attention.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must provide annual guidance by December of each year on implementing the 2015 Act to adhere to current regulations. “Many operating companies are unaware of the steep increase in FMCSA fines until violations are discovered in a safety audit or compliance review,” said Ken Presley, vice president of industry relations and chief operating officer of the United Motorcoach Association (UMA). “The revised schedule makes it clear that the financial incentives lean towards vigilant compliance.”

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