Blue Ink Tech Blog

So far in 2022 the Department of Transportation (DOT) executed over 725,000 inspections and issued 649,000 violations to bulk commodity haulers across the US. We take a look at the numbers of inspections and violations that were held in each state and see which FMCSA BASIC measure were enforced the most.

The violations are grouped together based on which BASIC category that they fall under. Some violations do not fall under a specific BASIC category and were not counted in the tables.

The commodities that were used in this report come from the FMCSAs Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). Carriers who reported hauling the following commodities were used:

• Livestock
• Produce
• Grain/feed
• Meat
• Drybulk
• Cold food
• Beverages
• Farm supply

Read below to see how many inspections your state started and and how many of those inspections turned into violations.

The level 1 inspection is the one of 8 levels of inspections performed by DOT in the trucking industry. It is one of the most intensive inspections performed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for commercial motor vehicles. The level 1 inspection involves reviewing the driver's documents as well as walking around the equipment to make sure that everything follows the FMCSA's regulations.

If you are a property or passenger carrying carrier then chances are you are going to have a couple DOT inspections during your career. In 2021 there were over 1,800,000 inspections performed by the DOT and enforcement officials in the US. The DOT performs these inspections to make sure that drivers are acting responsibly and protecting themselves and others while out on the public roadways.

What is the ELD short-haul exemption? 

The short-haul exemption is designed for drivers with a local route who work regular hours and return home every night. The rule allows these drivers and their carriers to avoid certain Hours of Service requirements as well as the ELD requirements set in the FMCSA's ELD mandate.

Trucking is one of the most competitive industries to be in. There are over 4.5 million trucks on the road in the US and they are all looking for loads to haul. With the amount of available trucks able to take loads the competition is high and the profit margins are low. New carriers have a lot working against them while trying to build a reputation for themselves and earn their way to consistent steady work.