After working on its development for several years, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released its Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse in January 2020. Commonly referred to as just the Clearinghouse, the purpose of the new database is to provide a central location for driver drug and alcohol violations to make it easier for employers, potential employers, law enforcement, and the FMCSA itself to track.
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What are the different Clearinghouse query plans?
When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released its Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse in January 2020, it did so with the requirement that employers of those holding a commercial driver’s license (CDL) purchase a query plan. This allows employers and any third- party administrator or consortium they assign to request information on drug and alcohol violations of current and prospective employees. Upon registration, employers must log into the DOT Clearinghouse and purchase a query plan.
What Safety Measurement System (SMS) information can the public see?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) maintains a separate website and program known as the Safety Measurement System (SMS) that tracks certain safety details on all motor carriers. Prior to the FAST Act of 2015, all information on SMS was available for public viewing. Since that time, certain SMS information about the safety performance and compliance of motor carriers is no longer publicly available.
How can I see inspections with no violations in the trucking SMS?
It’s a common misconception that the Safety Measurement System (SMS) managed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does not record inspections that contain no violations. This is not true. According to th FMCSA’s own data, approximately 3.5 million inspections take place each year. Although around one-third of these contain no violations, safety inspectors still upload them to the FMCSA database.
What do you have to do to become a broker?
Acting as a broker requires you to be properly registered with the FMCSA. Those operating as a broker for the first time must start by applying for a unique identification number with the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). This requires navigating to the Unified Registration System (URS) and following the on-screen prompts.
How do I tell the FMCSA about an operating authority transfer?
In October 2013, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revised its policy for recording and transferring operating authority to make it more efficient. You must notify the FMCSA if you need to transfer your operating authority for any reason.
What is the Medical Review Board for trucking?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) established a Medical Review Board (MRB) several years ago to provide input to the Secretary of Transportation regarding driver safety issues.
Why are driver errors the responsibility of the motor carrier?
The Safety Management System (SMS) is a program of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that ranks motor carriers based on seven specific behaviors. This helps to prioritize them for intervention from the FMCSA.
Why isn’t there a driver rating system?
Members of the public and officials in the transportation industry sometimes get the mistaken impression that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does not hold drivers accountable for their actions because responsibility falls solely on employers.