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A Post-Accident Plan organizes responsibilities, communications, and procedures—from the first call through the investigation By Ubirajara Lorens Regulatory Compliance Consultant | Lorens Regulatory Consulting A coordinated accident response begins before the first call. A customized Post-Accident Plan helps motor carriers protect people, preserve critical information, and manage regulatory and operational decisions under pressure. The phone rings. One of the company’s trucks

Trucks, drivers, and families share the same roads. Operation Safe Driver Week 2026 reminds us that every safe decision behind the wheel can help protect lives. Motor carriers should pay close attention between July 12 and July 18, 2026. During this period, law enforcement agencies across the United States, Canada, and Mexico will participate in Operation Safe Driver Week, an annual campaign led by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance — CVSA to reduce unsafe driving behavio

FMCSA operating authority is only the beginning. Keeping it requires structure, training, and regulatory discipline. Obtaining a DOT Number is only the beginning. A trucking company must be structured, documented, trained, and prepared to operate under FMCSA regulatory oversight. Starting a trucking company in the United States may appear to be a simple administrative process: form an LLC, obtain an EIN, request a DOT number, apply for FMCSA operating authority, file insuranc

The first 6 months of a new motor carrier are not just a startup phase — they are the foundation of its safety culture, compliance history, and ability to maintain operating authority. There is a common mistake among new trucking companies: believing that operating authority is “secured” once the DOT, MC, insurance, and plates are active. In reality, that is only the beginning. For the FMCSA, a newly authorized motor carrier is still under observation. The company has entered

A new FMCSA system. An old compliance risk: who really controls your motor carrier’s records? Imagine needing to correct an urgent FMCSA record and discovering that your company’s access is under someone else’s name. The main email is outdated. The password is not documented. The consultant who created the account no longer responds. The employee who handled it is no longer with the company. The dispatcher had access, but no one knows exactly how. And a change that should hav

Understanding the Long-Term Regulatory Consequences of Abandoned DOT and MC Authorities Revoked authority does not mean regulatory closure. Many trucking company owners believe that once their insurance is canceled and their operating authority is revoked, the matter is closed. In reality, the company’s regulatory footprint can remain visible in federal systems for years. In the trucking industry, starting a company requires careful regulatory preparation. Carriers must obtai

During roadside inspections, having active insurance on file does not necessarily mean a carrier has active operating authority. Understanding the difference is essential to avoid regulatory violations and unexpected enforcement actions. In the U.S. trucking industry, there is a common — and potentially costly — misunderstanding between two regulatory concepts that should never be confused: having active insurance and having active operating authority with the FMCSA. At first

Many carriers only discover compliance issues when a broker refuses a load or a roadside inspection reveals a problem. Understanding how federal regulatory systems operate is essential to protecting your authority to operate. For many trucking companies, the USDOT Number is more than just a registration — it is the legal identity of the operation within the federal regulatory system. Without it, a carrier simply cannot operate in interstate commerce. Yet many owners are surp

Level 1 Inspection A roadside stop can happen at any time. No warning. No scheduling. No courtesy call. Across the United States, inspectors certified by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance conduct Level 1 Inspections — the most comprehensive roadside examination under the standards enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. For many carriers, the belief is simple: “If my truck looks fine, I’m fine.” That assumption is often wrong. A Level 1 Inspection is

From May 12 through May 14, 2026, enforcement agencies across the United States, Canada, and Mexico will conduct the annual International Roadcheck, coordinated by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). This three-day initiative is not routine roadside activity. It is a high-visibility enforcement event involving Level I Inspections with a focused emphasis on: Cargo securement compliance Deep review of logbooks / ELD / Hours of Service (HOS) For motor carriers, this

Every mile driven represents more than a delivery. It reflects commitment, resilience, and professionalism. As the final week of the year arrives, many slow down — but trucking does not.Drivers and transportation companies continue to meet deadlines, face challenging weather, navigate inspections, and carry real responsibility. Every mile driven represents more than a delivery. It reflects commitment, resilience, and professionalism. Lorens Regulatory Consulting recognizes t

Thank you for trusting us, walking alongside us, and allowing us to be part of your journey As the year comes to a close, the holiday season invites us to pause, reflect, and recognize those who often celebrate far from home — the drivers and their families. Behind every mile driven in 2025, there were long days, cold mornings, sleepless nights, deadlines, inspections, and decisions made under pressure. There were holidays spent on the road, birthdays celebrated through video

Winter trucking is not “just another season. Winter is the most unforgiving season in American trucking. Snow, ice, low visibility, emergency speed restrictions, and chain laws turn routine miles into high-risk operations. Beyond the obvious safety concerns, winter also exposes drivers and fleets to serious compliance liabilities — FMCSA violations, insurance denials, and operational shutdowns. This article outlines the real-world risks of winter operations and how truckers,

For many truckers, a single truck isn’t just a vehicle — it’s the entire business. A major accident, theft, fire, or mechanical loss can shut down operations overnight. And yet, many drivers and small carriers still underestimate the financial impact of inadequate insurance coverage. A recent industry analysis highlights something óbvio, mas frequentemente ignorado: choosing the right trucking insurance is not just a legal formality — it’s a survival strategy for anyone on A

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is tightening its oversight of logbook accuracy and Hours of Service (HOS) compliance, responding to a surge in violations involving falsified logs, improper ELD edits, and driving schedules that contradict GPS and telematics data. The agency’s latest enforcement actions reflect a growing concern: fatigue-related risks and inconsistencies in electronic logging records are contributing to unsafe operat

Regulatory confusion sparks federal-state dispute and raises compliance concerns for fleets and truck drivers nationwide. In a major regulatory shake-up, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has revoked approximately 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) determined they had been issued to individuals who did not meet federal or state residency requirements. According to DOT officials, the state improperly

Jason Cannon (source: CCJ Digital - https://bit.ly/3H8w571 ) The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on Tuesday issued guidance on how the agency plans to enforce the requirement that commercial drivers speak English – an executive order that also calls for a review of non-domiciled CDLs that are often issued to foreign citizens. This policy, which is effective immediately, was published the same day that Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy offic

Jason Cannon (source: CCJ - https://bit.ly/4demBmU ) The 2025 CVSA North American Roadcheck inspection spree is May 13-15 The 2025 CVSA...

Matt Cole (source: Overdrive Online - http://tiny.cc/mvsb001 ) Tires will be the vehicle focus area of inspectors during the 2025...

Alex Lockie (source: Overdrive Online - http://tiny.cc/7usb001 ) CVSA Truck Inspection The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has consulted its membership from all around North America and come up with some tweaks to the out-of-service criteria for drivers and vehicles set to go into effect on April 1, 2025. This year, the changes mostly revolve around brakes, tires, suspension components and lighting for the trucks, with only a few small changes for driver OOS conditions. No