A truckingcompliance,glossary.

BOC-3 (Designation of Process Agents)

◇ Also known as · Process Agent Filing, BOC-3 Filing

A single FMCSA filing that designates a process agent in every state where the carrier or broker operates. A process agent is a person or company authorized to accept legal documents (service of process) on behalf of the motor carrier in that state. Required before FMCSA will grant operating authority and must be kept current; only a process-agent firm can file the BOC-3 electronically on the carrier's behalf, not the carrier itself.

Common Carrier

◇ Also known as · For-Hire Common Carrier

A motor carrier that holds itself out to the general public to transport property or passengers for compensation. Common carriers must obtain operating authority (MC number) and maintain public liability insurance on file with FMCSA.

Contract Carrier

A for-hire carrier that transports freight under continuing contracts with one or a limited number of shippers. Contract carriers also require operating authority but their business model is built around dedicated lanes or shipper relationships rather than the open spot market.

Exempt Carrier

A motor carrier hauling commodities that Congress has exempted from economic regulation — typically unprocessed agricultural products, livestock, or certain other items. Exempt carriers still need a USDOT number, drug & alcohol program, insurance, and must comply with safety regulations; they simply do not need MC operating authority for the exempt commodities they haul.

FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)

The U.S. Department of Transportation agency responsible for regulating and providing safety oversight of commercial motor vehicles. FMCSA issues USDOT numbers and operating authority, writes the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR Parts 350–399), and partners with state agencies to enforce them.

MCS-150

◇ Also known as · Motor Carrier Identification Report, Form MCS-150

The form used to register for a USDOT number and to update existing registration information (address, fleet size, driver count, cargo classifications, etc.). The combined hazmat version is the MCS-150B. The biennial update is filed using this form.

New Entrant

Every interstate motor carrier is classified as a "new entrant" for the first 18 months of operation under a USDOT number. During this period, the carrier must pass a Safety Audit and is held to stricter standards — certain "automatic failure" violations on a roadside inspection will fail the audit on the spot.

New Entrant Safety Audit

◇ Also known as · New Entrant Audit, NESA

A government-conducted audit, typically within 12 months of obtaining authority, that reviews safety management controls — drug & alcohol program, driver qualification files, hours-of-service records, vehicle maintenance, accident records, and insurance. Failing the audit (or 16 specific automatic-failure items) results in revocation of new-entrant registration.

Operating Authority (MC Number)

◇ Also known as · MC Number, Motor Carrier Authority, FF Number

The federal authority required to transport regulated commodities in interstate commerce for hire (property — MC; passenger — MC; household goods — MC; broker — MC; freight forwarder — FF; Mexican carrier — MX). Granted after the carrier files for authority (forms OP-1, OP-1(P), OP-1(FF), OP-1(MX)), files a BOC-3, and shows proof of insurance — followed by a 21-day public protest window.

PRISM (Performance and Registration Information Systems Management)

A state-federal program that links commercial vehicle registration with motor-carrier safety data. A carrier with a serious safety problem — including failure to file biennial updates — can have its vehicle registration denied or suspended in PRISM states until the issue is resolved.

Process Agent

An individual or business designated in each state to receive legal papers on behalf of a motor carrier or broker. Designating process agents in all 50 states (and D.C.) is done through a single BOC-3 filing.

UCR (Unified Carrier Registration)

◇ Also known as · UCR Filing, UCR Plan

An annual federally-mandated fee program administered through the states. Any motor carrier, broker, freight forwarder, or leasing company operating in interstate commerce must register and pay UCR based on fleet size. The registration window opens October 1 of the prior year; enforcement begins January 1, and a UCR sticker is not issued — proof of payment is database-only.

USDOT Number

◇ Also known as · DOT Number, U.S. DOT Number

A unique identifier assigned by FMCSA to a motor carrier, used to monitor a company's safety information during audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations, and inspections. Required for any company operating commercial vehicles that transport passengers or haul cargo in interstate commerce — plus many intrastate operations in states that have adopted federal standards.

Broker Authority

◇ Also known as · Property Broker, MC Broker

Federal authority to arrange transportation of property by an authorized motor carrier for compensation, without operating the trucks. Brokers must obtain an MC number, file BOC-3, and post a $75,000 surety bond (BMC-84) or trust fund (BMC-85).

Carrier-Broker Contract

The master agreement between a freight broker and a motor carrier that governs all loads tendered between them — covering payment terms, insurance, indemnification, claims, and recordkeeping. Each load is then booked under a rate confirmation that incorporates the master.

Deadhead

The miles a truck travels empty — typically after a delivery and before the next loaded pickup. Carriers price loads to absorb deadhead miles; high-deadhead lanes are usually pay-down lanes.

Demurrage

A charge assessed when equipment (commonly a rail car or shipping container) is held beyond the allotted free time. In trucking, "detention" is the more common analog at shipper or receiver facilities.

Detention

Money paid to a carrier when a driver is held at a shipper or receiver beyond the agreed free time (typically two hours). Detention is negotiated per-load via the rate confirmation; HOS clocks run during detention, which is why it is now a regulatory data point as well as an economic one.

Dispatcher / Dispatch Service

An individual or company that books loads on behalf of a motor carrier, usually for a flat fee or a percentage. FMCSA does not license dispatchers, but a dispatcher who takes possession or control of freight, or solicits to the general public, may cross into brokerage and require an MC number.

Factoring

A financing arrangement where a carrier sells its accounts receivable (invoices) to a factoring company at a discount in exchange for fast payment. Common in small-carrier operations where cash flow is tight and broker payment terms run 30–60 days.

Freight Forwarder

A company that holds itself out as a common carrier of property, assembling and consolidating shipments, assuming responsibility for transportation from origin to destination, and using motor carriers to perform part of the haul. Forwarders obtain FF authority and are subject to broker-like financial responsibility requirements.

Fuel Surcharge

A separately stated charge added to a freight rate to compensate the carrier for fuel cost above a baseline. Typically calculated weekly from the EIA national average diesel price, in a per-mile cents-per-mile formula agreed in the carrier-broker contract.

Load Board

An online marketplace where brokers and shippers post available freight and carriers post available trucks. Examples include DAT and Truckstop.com. Load boards are the spot-market signal for capacity and rates.

Lumper Fee

A charge paid to a third-party loader/unloader (the "lumper") at a shipper or receiver — common at grocery DCs. Lumper fees are generally reimbursable by the broker or shipper if substantiated by receipt.

Power Only

A service where the carrier provides only the tractor and driver; the trailer is owned by someone else (the broker, shipper, or another carrier). Common in drop-and-hook freight networks and intermodal drayage.

Rate Confirmation

◇ Also known as · Rate Con, Load Confirmation

The per-load document issued by the broker to the carrier confirming pickup and delivery details, rate, accessorials, and any special instructions. Together with the master carrier-broker contract, it forms the load-level agreement.

49 CFR Part 382

◇ Also known as · Part 382

FMCSA's controlled substances and alcohol use and testing regulation for CDL drivers. Part 382 defines who must test (CDL drivers operating CMVs in interstate or intrastate commerce), what events trigger testing (pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, follow-up), and what an employer must do with the result.

BAT (Breath Alcohol Technician)

A trained and qualified technician who conducts DOT breath alcohol tests using an evidential breath testing (EBT) device. A confirmation test reading of 0.04 or higher is a violation; 0.02–0.039 requires temporary removal from safety-sensitive duty.

C/TPA (Consortium/Third-Party Administrator)

◇ Also known as · Consortium, Random Consortium

A service agent that manages drug and alcohol testing programs for DOT-regulated employers — including the random pool, scheduling, collections, MRO services, and Clearinghouse reporting. Owner-operators are required by Part 382 to be part of a random consortium because they cannot randomly test themselves.

DOT Drug Test (5-Panel)

The standardized DOT urine test panel: marijuana (THC), cocaine, opioids (including codeine, morphine, heroin, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, oxymorphone), amphetamines (including MDMA), and phencyclidine (PCP). Oral fluid testing is also now authorized under Part 40, though laboratory certification deployment has been gradual.

Follow-Up Testing

After a driver returns to duty following a violation, the SAP prescribes a follow-up testing plan — a minimum of six unannounced directly-observed tests in the first 12 months, which the SAP may extend up to 5 years. Follow-up tests are separate from and in addition to random testing.

MIS Report

◇ Also known as · Management Information System Report, EIN Report

The annual statistical report DOT-regulated employers must produce when selected by FMCSA, summarizing the prior year's testing data (number of drivers, tests conducted by type, positives, refusals). Most carriers won't be asked every year, but the data must be available within 30 days of a request.

MRO (Medical Review Officer)

A licensed physician trained and certified in the evaluation of drug-test results. The MRO contacts the donor on a non-negative lab result to determine whether a legitimate medical explanation exists; only after MRO verification is a test "verified positive" and reportable.

Pre-Employment Drug Test

A negative drug test result must be received before a CDL driver performs any safety-sensitive function for the first time with a new employer. A Clearinghouse pre-employment query (full query, with driver consent) must also clear before the driver can be put to work.

Random Testing

◇ Also known as · Random Drug & Alcohol Testing

Year-round, unannounced testing performed on drivers selected by a true random scientific method from the consortium's covered driver pool. The minimum annual random testing rates (as adjusted from the 2020 increase) remain 50% for controlled substances and 10% for alcohol. Each year FMCSA publishes the rates by notice.

Reasonable Suspicion Testing

A test required when a trained supervisor observes specific, contemporaneous, articulable signs of drug or alcohol use — appearance, behavior, speech, body odor. Supervisors must have at least 60 minutes of drug-effects training and 60 minutes of alcohol-effects training to make the determination.

Refusal to Test

Behavior that DOT treats the same as a verified positive: failing to appear for a test in the time allotted, leaving the collection site, refusing to provide a specimen, failing to provide enough specimen without medical reason, adulterating or substituting a specimen, refusing a directly observed collection when required, or admitted alcohol use within 8 hours of duty.

Return-to-Duty (RTD) Test

A directly observed test required after a driver completes the SAP's prescribed education or treatment following a violation. Must be negative before the driver may resume any safety-sensitive function.

SAP (Substance Abuse Professional)

A licensed or certified professional (e.g., physician, psychologist, social worker, certified addiction counselor) qualified under Part 40 to evaluate drivers who have violated the rules and prescribe education or treatment, then conduct a follow-up evaluation. The driver pays for the SAP; only after the SAP signs off can the RTD process begin.

Split Specimen

DOT urine collections require two specimens — Bottle A (primary) and Bottle B (split). A donor whose Bottle A is reported positive, adulterated, or substituted has 72 hours after MRO notification to request testing of Bottle B at a different SAMHSA-certified lab.

Verified Positive

A lab-positive drug test result that the MRO has verified by interviewing the donor and ruling out a legitimate medical explanation. Only verified results trigger consequences and Clearinghouse reporting.

Clearinghouse (FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse)

◇ Also known as · Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, DACH

A secure FMCSA online database that contains records of drug and alcohol program violations for CDL and CLP drivers. Employers must query the Clearinghouse pre-employment and annually; MROs, SAPs, and C/TPAs must report violations and RTD events.

Full Query

A query that returns detailed information about a driver's drug and alcohol violations and RTD status. Requires the driver's specific electronic consent in the Clearinghouse before the employer can view the results. Required pre-employment and any time a limited query indicates information exists.

Limited Query

A query that simply tells the employer whether the driver has any information in the Clearinghouse that would prohibit driving — without revealing specifics. Used for the annual query; the driver provides general written consent (not in Clearinghouse) that covers limited queries. If a limited query says information exists, a full query is required within 24 hours.

Prohibited Status

The Clearinghouse status assigned to a driver after a violation, lasting until the driver completes the RTD process (SAP evaluation, prescribed treatment/education, and negative RTD test). A prohibited driver may not operate a CMV in any state. Since November 18, 2024, prohibited status also triggers state CDL downgrade.

14-Hour On-Duty Limit

◇ Also known as · 14-hour window, 14-hour rule

A property-carrying driver may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time during the window does not extend the window (with the limited exception of qualifying sleeper-berth splits).

30-Minute Break

A property-carrying driver must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving time. The break may be satisfied by any non-driving status — on-duty not-driving (e.g., loading), off-duty, or sleeper-berth.

34-Hour Restart

An optional reset of the 60/70-hour cumulative on-duty clock by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off duty (or sleeper berth, or a combination).

60/70-Hour Rule

A property-carrying driver may not drive after being on duty 60 hours in any 7 consecutive days (carriers that do not operate every day of the week) or 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days (carriers that operate every day).

Adverse Driving Conditions Exception

A driver who encounters unexpected adverse conditions (weather, road, traffic) that could not have been foreseen at dispatch may extend both the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour on-duty window by up to 2 hours.

AOBRD

◇ Also known as · Automatic On-Board Recording Device

The pre-ELD electronic logging technology under 49 CFR § 395.15. AOBRDs were fully phased out at the end of 2019 and replaced by ELDs.

ELD (Electronic Logging Device)

A hardware-software system that synchronizes with the engine to automatically record duty status, location, miles, and engine hours. Required for most interstate property and passenger carriers since December 18, 2017 (with full enforcement post-AOBRD on December 17, 2019).

ELD Self-Certification

Manufacturers self-certify their ELD model against the FMCSA technical specifications and register it on the FMCSA's list of eligible ELDs. Self-certification is not FMCSA approval — devices can be (and have been) removed when defects emerge, and carriers using a removed device must replace it within 60 days.

eRODS

◇ Also known as · Electronic Record of Duty Status (transfer)

The FMCSA back-end system that receives ELD output files from a driver during a roadside inspection — either by web services or email — and renders them for the inspector. Drivers must be able to produce the transfer on demand.

HOS (Hours of Service)

The federal limits on the driving and on-duty hours of CMV drivers, designed to combat fatigue-related crashes. The core property-carrying rules are 11/14/60-70/30-minute-break.

Personal Conveyance (PC)

Off-duty movement of a CMV for the driver's personal purposes, not for the carrier's benefit. PC time does not count toward 11- or 14-hour limits, but carriers must have a written policy and the driver must annotate the ELD; misuse (e.g., advancing the load, returning to a shipper) is a top CSA flag at audit.

RODS (Record of Duty Status)

The driver's daily log of the four duty statuses: Off Duty, Sleeper Berth, Driving, On Duty (Not Driving). Required to be maintained current — typically by ELD — and produced on demand.

Short-Haul Exemption (150-Air-Mile)

A driver who operates within a 150-air-mile radius of the normal work-reporting location, starts and ends the workday at that location, does not exceed 14 hours on duty, and meets recordkeeping requirements (time cards) does not need to maintain a RODS or use an ELD.

Sleeper Berth Provision

Drivers using a qualifying sleeper berth may split their required 10-hour off-duty period into two periods — one of at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth and one of at least 2 hours either off-duty or in the sleeper berth (or any 8/2 combination). When done correctly, neither period counts against the 14-hour driving window.

Yard Moves

An ELD duty-status setting for moving a CMV within a private property (yard, terminal, warehouse). Time is recorded as on-duty not driving rather than driving — but carriers must have a defined policy on what qualifies, and "yard moves" is a frequent audit target.

Bridge Formula

◇ Also known as · Federal Bridge Formula, Bridge Gross Weight Formula

A formula that limits the gross weight on any group of consecutive axles based on the distance between them, designed to protect bridge infrastructure. A truck can be at or below 80,000 lb gross and still violate the bridge formula if its axles are too close together.

CDL (Commercial Driver's License)

A state-issued license required to operate a CMV in any state. Three classes: A (combination 26,001+ lb GCWR with towed unit over 10,000 lb), B (single vehicle 26,001+ lb GVWR), and C (under 26,001 lb but hauling 16+ passengers or placarded hazmat).

CDL Endorsements

Additional skills/knowledge tests added to a CDL: H (hazardous materials), N (tank vehicle), P (passenger), S (school bus), T (doubles/triples), X (combined tank + hazmat). H and X require a TSA threat assessment.

CLP (Commercial Learner's Permit)

A permit allowing a driver to practice operating a CMV on public roads under the supervision of a CDL holder. Must be held for at least 14 days before the CDL skills test, and the driver must complete Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test for Class A or B (since Feb 7, 2022).

CMV (Commercial Motor Vehicle)

A vehicle used in interstate commerce that meets any of: GVWR/GCWR of 10,001 lb or more; designed or used to transport 9+ passengers (including driver) for compensation, or 16+ regardless of compensation; or used to transport hazmat in a quantity requiring placarding. The CDL definition (49 CFR § 383.5) is narrower — 26,001 lb GCWR — so a vehicle can be a CMV for safety purposes without requiring a CDL.

Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)

A federal training standard, effective February 7, 2022, that any applicant for a new Class A or B CDL, an upgrade between classes, or a P/S/H endorsement must complete. Training must be delivered by a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry.

GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating)

The manufacturer's maximum loaded weight rating for a power unit combined with its towed unit. The 26,001-lb GCWR threshold (with the towed unit over 10,000 lb) is what makes a Class A CDL required.

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)

The maximum loaded weight rating of a single vehicle as specified by the manufacturer, regardless of what it's actually loaded to. GVWR drives both CDL classification and the CMV definition.

Trip Permit

A short-duration permit (typically 72 hours or 30 days) issued by a state to authorize a CMV that is not properly apportioned (IRP), licensed for fuel (IFTA), or registered in that state to make a one-time or limited movement. Routinely used by new authorities awaiting plates and by carriers entering a new IRP jurisdiction.

DAC Report

◇ Also known as · Drive-A-Check, HireRight DAC Report

A driver employment history report provided by a private service (HireRight DAC). Carriers voluntarily contribute employment and termination data; many carriers screen prospective hires through DAC alongside the required FMCSA-mandated checks. DAC is industry practice, not a DOT-required record.

DOT Physical

◇ Also known as · DOT Medical Exam, CMV Driver Medical Examination

The medical exam a driver must pass to be qualified to operate a CMV. Performed by an examiner listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners; results in a Medical Examiner's Certificate (MEC) valid for up to 24 months (less if the examiner notes specific conditions).

DQ File (Driver Qualification File)

The mandatory file the carrier must maintain for each driver, containing the application, MVR (initial and annual), road test certificate or equivalent, MEC, employment verification, and Clearinghouse query record. Among the first things requested in any audit.

Employment Verification (3-year)

The carrier must investigate the driver's safety performance history with all DOT-regulated employers in the prior 3 years — including accidents and drug/alcohol violations. The investigation must be conducted within 30 days of hire and documented in the DQ file.

Medical Examiner's Certificate (MEC)

◇ Also known as · Med Card, MEC, Form MCSA-5876

The wallet-sized certification issued by a certified examiner showing the driver is medically qualified to operate a CMV. CDL drivers' MEC status is now electronically reported from the examiner directly to the state through FMCSA — paper cards are no longer required to be on the driver's person (effective June 22, 2025), though many drivers still carry a copy.

MVR (Motor Vehicle Record)

◇ Also known as · Driving Record, Abstract

A state-issued record of a driver's license status, traffic violations, and accidents. Carriers must obtain an MVR pre-employment and conduct an annual review of each driver's MVR.

National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners

◇ Also known as · NRCME, National Registry

The FMCSA-administered list of medical professionals trained and tested to perform DOT physical exams. Only examiners on the registry may issue a valid MEC.

PSP (Pre-Employment Screening Program)

An FMCSA-administered service that lets carriers (with driver consent) pull a driver's 5-year crash and 3-year roadside inspection history from MCMIS data. Voluntary but widely used as part of pre-hire screening.

Road Test Certificate

The driver must successfully complete a road test (or present an equivalent — a CDL or a road test certificate from another carrier within the past 3 years). The certificate, signed by the examiner, goes in the DQ file.

Training Provider Registry (TPR)

The FMCSA-administered list of training providers authorized to deliver Entry-Level Driver Training. Schools and carrier-run programs must self-register and certify compliance with the curriculum; states will not test a new CDL applicant whose ELDT is not on file in the TPR.

Hazmat Safety Permit

◇ Also known as · HMSP

A safety permit required to transport certain higher-risk hazardous materials (radioactive, toxic by inhalation, certain explosives, large bulk quantities of certain materials). Issued by FMCSA only to carriers with a satisfactory or better safety rating.

Hazmat Security Plan

A written security plan required of shippers and carriers handling certain quantities of hazmat. Must address personnel, access, and en-route security; reviewed annually and updated as needed.

Hazmat Shipping Papers

The documentation that accompanies any hazmat shipment — typically the bill of lading with required elements: UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group, quantity, emergency contact, and shipper certification.

Placards

Diamond-shaped signs displayed on each side and each end of a vehicle, freight container, or rail car carrying hazmat in placardable quantities. Identifies the hazard class and (often) the UN number.

USDOT-HM Registration

◇ Also known as · Hazmat Registration, PHMSA Registration

A separate PHMSA registration (with annual fee) required of any shipper or carrier offering for transport, or transporting, hazardous materials in quantities that trigger registration. Distinct from FMCSA USDOT number.

BMC-84 (Broker Surety Bond)

The $75,000 surety bond a property broker or freight forwarder must file with FMCSA before authority is granted. The BMC-84 protects motor carriers and shippers from non-payment.

BMC-85 (Broker Trust Fund)

An alternative to the BMC-84: a $75,000 trust-fund agreement with a financial institution. Same purpose, different financial instrument.

BMC-91 / BMC-91X (Property Carrier Liability)

The proof-of-insurance filing the carrier's insurer submits to FMCSA. BMC-91 is filed when a single insurer covers the entire minimum; BMC-91X when liability is split across multiple insurers.

MCS-90 Endorsement

A federally-mandated endorsement attached to the auto liability policy that makes the insurer pay an injured member of the public — up to the federal minimums — even if the policy otherwise wouldn't cover the loss. Critically, the insurer may then seek reimbursement from the carrier.

Minimum Liability Limits

Federal minimum public liability for for-hire interstate property carriers: $750,000 for general freight; $1,000,000 for non-bulk oil/non-hazardous gases; $5,000,000 for most hazardous materials and certain other commodities. Many shipper contracts require $1M general liability regardless.

Non-Trucking Liability (NTL)

◇ Also known as · Bobtail Insurance

Liability coverage for an owner-operator's tractor when it is being used for non-business purposes outside the carrier's dispatch — a separate policy from the primary liability filed under the leasing carrier.

CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance)

The nonprofit association of state, provincial, and federal commercial vehicle safety officials that writes the North American Standard Inspection criteria, the OOS criteria, and runs International Roadcheck.

DataQs

The FMCSA system for requesting review of crash and inspection data. Carriers and drivers use DataQs to challenge incorrect inspection violations or non-preventable crashes; successful challenges remove the data from SMS calculations.

DOT Audit

◇ Also known as · Safety Investigation

The general term covering FMCSA investigations of a carrier's compliance with safety regulations — new entrant audits, focused audits, off-site reviews, and full compliance reviews.

Focused Audit

A targeted investigation of one or more specific BASIC areas where the carrier is showing elevated risk, rather than a full compliance review. Often conducted off-site through document submission.

Out-of-Service (OOS) Order

A determination by an inspector that a driver or vehicle has a defect or violation so severe that operation must cease until corrected. Common driver OOS reasons: no/expired MEC, falsified logs, no CDL; common vehicle OOS reasons: brakes, tires, lights, leaks.

OOS Rate

The percentage of a carrier's inspections that resulted in an OOS order, broken out for drivers and vehicles. Compared to the national average; elevated OOS rates trigger CSA percentile increases and audit risk.

Roadside Inspection (Levels I–VIII)

CVSA has eight standard inspection levels. Level I is the full North American Standard inspection (driver + vehicle); Level II is walk-around; Level III is driver-only; Level IV is special study; Level V is vehicle-only; Level VI is enhanced radioactive; Level VII is jurisdictional mandated; Level VIII is electronic (data-driven).

Safety Rating

The categorical rating assigned to a carrier after a compliance review: Satisfactory, Conditional, or Unsatisfactory. A carrier with no completed review is "Not Rated." An Unsatisfactory rating is followed by an order to cease interstate operations within 45 (HM/passenger: 15) days unless upgraded.

CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability)

FMCSA's overall safety enforcement program — combining roadside inspection data, crashes, and audit history into a risk-based intervention prioritization system. SMS is the public-facing scoring engine of CSA.

Crash Indicator

The non-public BASIC that scores carriers on crash involvement weighted by severity (fatality, injury, tow-away) and recency. Crashes appear in the Crash Indicator regardless of fault — though carriers can use DataQs to challenge non-preventable determinations under FMCSA's preventability program.

Intervention Threshold

The BASIC percentile at which FMCSA may take intervention action — typically 65 for general freight carriers, 60 for hazmat/passenger. Crossing the threshold raises audit risk and can result in warning letters, off-site investigations, or focused on-site audits.

Severity Weight

The value (1–10) FMCSA assigns to each inspection violation reflecting its connection to crash risk. Multiplied by a time weight (recency) to produce the carrier's BASIC measure.

SMS (Safety Measurement System)

FMCSA's public-facing system that processes 24 months of roadside inspection data and 24 months of crash data into BASIC measures and percentile rankings. Updated monthly.

Intrastate Commerce

Trade and transportation that begins and ends within a single state and is not part of any longer interstate movement. Subject primarily to state regulation; many states have adopted FMCSRs by reference for intrastate operations, with carve-outs for size, weight, age, or local geography.

Lease Agreement (Part 376)

The mandatory written lease between an authorized motor carrier and the owner of equipment (an owner-operator). Required elements include term, compensation, parties, identification of equipment, charge-back provisions, escrow handling, and the carrier's exclusive possession statement.

Owner-Operator

A driver who owns the truck (and sometimes the trailer) and leases it to an authorized motor carrier or operates under their own authority. Under a leased arrangement, the leasing carrier's MC number and insurance govern the operation.

IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement)

A cooperative agreement among the 48 contiguous U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces that simplifies fuel-tax reporting for interstate motor carriers. A qualified motor vehicle files a single quarterly return through its base jurisdiction; the base distributes tax owed/refunded to each jurisdiction based on miles run.

IFTA Decals

Two annual decals issued by the carrier's base jurisdiction and displayed on the exterior of each qualified vehicle's cab. Vehicles without current decals (and a cab card) are subject to a single-state trip permit at the border.

IFTA Quarterly Report

The return due on the last day of the month following each calendar quarter (April 30, July 31, October 31, January 31), reporting miles run and fuel purchased in each member jurisdiction. A late or non-filed return triggers penalties, interest, and ultimately license revocation.

IRP (International Registration Plan)

A cooperative agreement among the U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Canadian provinces that allows a carrier operating in multiple jurisdictions to register a fleet under a single base jurisdiction. Registration fees are apportioned among the jurisdictions based on the percentage of miles operated in each.

IRP Cab Card

The credential carried in each apportioned vehicle showing the jurisdictions for which it is registered, the registered weight in each, and the carrier name. Required to be presented at roadside on demand.

Schedule 1 (Stamped)

◇ Also known as · Form 2290 Schedule 1

The portion of the Form 2290 that the IRS returns "stamped" (digitally validated, after e-file) as the carrier's proof of HVUT payment. Required by state DMVs before they will issue or renew apportioned plates.

Suspended Vehicle (HVUT)

A vehicle expected to be driven 5,000 miles or fewer (7,500 for agricultural vehicles) during the tax year and reported on Form 2290 as "Category W." No tax is due, but the 2290 must still be filed and a stamped Schedule 1 obtained for registration.

DMV Service

The umbrella of state Department of Motor Vehicles transactions a carrier needs — title work, registration, IRP renewal, license plates, lien filings, and base-state IFTA.

KYU (Kentucky Weight Distance Tax)

A weight-distance tax owed by carriers operating any vehicle with a CGW of 60,000 lb or more in Kentucky. Requires a KYU license number and quarterly return; one of four U.S. weight-distance taxes.

NM Weight Distance Tax

New Mexico's weight-distance tax on vehicles 26,001 lb declared gross or higher. Requires an NM WDT permit and quarterly return.

NY HUT (New York Highway Use Tax)

New York's weight-distance tax on motor carriers operating vehicles with a gross weight over 18,000 lb on NY public highways. Requires a HUT certificate of registration and sticker, and a quarterly HUT return.

OR Weight-Mile Tax

Oregon's tax in lieu of IFTA on motor carriers operating vehicles over 26,000 lb in OR. Carriers file a monthly mileage tax report rather than buying fuel tax at the pump.

State Permits (Oversize/Overweight)

State-issued permits authorizing a single trip or a defined period of operation of loads exceeding the state's legal size or weight limits. Conditions typically include time-of-day restrictions, escort requirements, and bridge routings.

Annual Inspection (Periodic Inspection)

◇ Also known as · Annual DOT Inspection

Every CMV must pass a periodic inspection at least once every 12 months by a qualified inspector. The inspection report (or a sticker showing date and inspector) must be retained 14 months and produced on demand.

DVIR (Driver Vehicle Inspection Report)

Post-trip: required only when the driver discovers or is made aware of a defect or deficiency that would affect safety or result in a breakdown. Pre-trip: the driver must review the last DVIR (if any) and sign that defects have been corrected. Retain at least 3 months.

Maintenance Records (Part 396)

Every motor carrier must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain its CMVs. Required records: identification (make, year, VIN), inspections, repairs, lubrications, and tires; retained 1 year while the vehicle is under control and 6 months after.

Pre-Trip Inspection

The driver must be satisfied — before driving — that service brakes (including trailer brake), parking brake, steering, lights, tires, horn, mirrors, wipers, and emergency equipment are in good working order. Required by rule on every trip; the cornerstone of the driver's daily safety routine.

Recordable Crash

An accident involving a CMV operating on a public road that results in: a fatality, an injury treated away from the scene, or a vehicle towed from the scene due to disabling damage. Recordable crashes feed the Crash Indicator BASIC and must be included in the accident register.