Frequently Asked Questions

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are questions and answers about Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) compiled to assist the public. As questions come in through the website, FMCSA adds them to the database along with their answers. If you do not see your question or topic addressed, please contact us by submitting a feedback form. We will respond to you directly and consider your question for inclusion in the FAQs.

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How can a carrier improve in the Hours-of-Service (HOS) Compliance Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC)? Answer
The HOS Compliance BASIC includes operation of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) by drivers who are ill, fatigued, or in noncompliance with the HOS regulations. This BASIC includes violations of regulations pertaining to records of duty status (RODS) as they relate to HOS requirements and the management of CMV driver fatigue. Example violations include exceeding HOS, maintaining incomplete or inaccurate RODS, and operating a CMV while ill or fatigued. (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation Parts 392 and 395). The following resources can assist motor carriers in ways by which to improve the HOS Compliance BASIC measure:
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) HOS Logbook Examples
- FMCSA HOS Frequently Asked Questions
- Interstate Trucker’s Guide to HOS
- Interstate Passenger Carrier’s Guide to HOS
- FMCSA's Education & Technical Assistance Program's A Motor Carrier's Guide to Improving Highway Safety, pages 89-96.
FMCSA created a tool, the Safety Management Cycle (SMC). The SMC helps carriers determine their organizational breakdowns that are causing the carriers' safety violations The SMC has its own webpage located here: https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/About/SMC_Overview.aspx. Carriers can download an overview of the SMC here: https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/FMC_CSA_12_002_SMC_Overview.pdf and download a list of safety improvement practices that help resolve typical carrier process breakdowns related to the HOS Compliance BASIC here: https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/FMC_CSA_13_004_HOS_Compl_SMC.pdf.
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