FMCSA to Shut Down Carriers with Safety Violations

Bus or truck companies with patterns of safety violations are at risk of being shut down by The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).  The FMCSA published a Patterns of Safety Violations Rule that gives the agency the authority to completely revoke a motor carrier’s authority to operate, if the company (or company officer) has a history of deliberately violating federal safety regulations.  These high-risk carriers endanger public safety by avoiding or covering up their negative history of safety compliance.  This rule will be an enforcement tool in the continued efforts to target this particular category of offenders.  The FMCSA reportedly intends to apply the rule in extreme cases of unsafe practices even if a “particular investigation alone does not result in a downgrade of the carrier’s safety fitness rating.”