On May 13, 2002, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published its New Entrant Safety Assurance Process Interim Final Rule. The new regulations established minimum requirements for new entrant motor carriers— any carrier applying for a new U.S. DOT number on or after January 1, 2003— to ensure they are knowledgeable about the applicable Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) and Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs). The rule applies to both U.S. and Canadian carriers.

Under the new regulations all new entrant motor carriers must undergo a safety audit within 18 months of obtaining a U.S. DOT number and beginning interstate operations. A safety audit consists of a review of the new entrant's safety data, a review of requested motor carrier's documents, and an interview session with the motor carrier by an individual certified under FMCSA regulations to perform safety audits. The objective of the audit is to educate the carrier on compliance with the FMCSRs and HMRs and determine areas where the carrier might be deficient in compliance. To learn more, visit http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp.