Fleet Management

Why It Pays To Be Regulation Compliant as a Large Fleet

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One essential part of being a fleet owner or manager is remaining compliant with ever-changing fleet regulations. Fleet compliance is crucial to avoiding fines, keeping fleet vehicles on the road, and upholding a positive reputation in the community. Maintaining compliance is one of the most important parts of a fleet manager’s job, but why is it so important? How does staying in compliance benefit fleets overall? This article will break down the benefits of fleet compliance. 

What is the Price of Noncompliance?

Noncompliance with the ELD mandate can be catastrophic, ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 depending on the severity. Here is a chart that breaks down the types of violations that the DOT might find for a fleet:

Citation

Description

Severity value

395.8A-ELD

ELD - No record of duty status (ELD Required)

5

395.8A-NON-ELD

No record of duty status when one is required (ELD Not Required)

5

395.8A1

Not using the appropriate method to record hours of service

5

395.11G

Failing to provide supporting documents in the driver’s possession upon request

7

395.20B

The ELD’s display screen cannot be viewed outside of the commercial motor vehicle

5

395.22A

Operating with a device that is not registered with FMCSA

5

395.22G

Portable ELD not mounted in a fixed position and visible to driver

1

395.22H1

Driver failing to maintain ELD user's manual

1

395.22H2

Driver failing to maintain ELD instruction sheet

1

395.22H3

Driver failed to maintain instruction sheet for ELD malfunction reporting requirements

1

395.22H4

Driver failed to maintain supply of blank driver's records of duty status graph-grids

1

395.24C1I

Driver failed to make annotations when applicable

1

395.24C1II

Driver failed to manually add location description

1

395.24C1III

Driver failed to add file comment per safety officer's request

1

395.24C2I

Driver failed to manually add CMV power unit number

1

395.24C2II

Driver failed to manually add the trailer number

1

395.24C2III

Driver failed to manually add shipping document number

1

395.28

Driver failed to select/deselect or annotate a special driving category or exempt status

1

395.30B1

Driver failed to certify the accuracy of the information gathered by the ELD

1

395.30C

Failing to follow the prompts from the ELD when editing/adding missing information

1

395.32B

Driver failed to assume or decline unassigned driving time

5

395.34A1

Failing to note malfunction that requires use of paper log

5

The price of these violations gets quite steep as well.

Knowingly falsifying electronic log records

$12,135 ($1,214 per day)

Reporting and recording fines

$1,045 - $7,864

Commercial regulation violations

$10,450 per person

Bus drivers, train operators, and passenger carriers

$26,126

Hazardous material violations

$182,877

The average payout for an ELD violation is $2,867. With dozens or hundreds of vehicles in a fleet, this number can add up quickly. If a vehicle is placed out of service, the business loses revenue and suffers even further costs. Therefore, maintaining compliance is extremely important for fleets to be successful. 

When are Drivers Placed Out of Service? 

Being placed out of service is one of the worst results of a DOT inspection, as it is usually coupled with fines and causes even further loss to a business’s revenue. Drivers are usually placed out of service for up to ten hours, but it can be longer if violations continue. Every day that a vehicle is out of service costs businesses $264. If the vehicle needs to be towed, that can add to the fines and lost revenue. 

Vehicles are usually placed out of service if they are not correctly using an authorized ELD, or if they falsify records. This is why it is important that fleets ensure their technology is up to date by staying updated on regulations and checking all vehicles to make sure they are compliant. 

How Compliance Affects CSA Scores

Most people in the fleet business are familiar with CSA scores: Compliance, Safety, Accountability scores. This is a 100-point scale that ranks how risky a motor carrier is. Having a high CSA score can lead to a negative reputation in the community, hurting a business’s relationship with customers and other companies. The FMCSA also keeps a closer eye on companies with a higher CSA score, so these fleets are more likely to be hit with fines. To keep CSA scores low, it is crucial to remain compliant with FMCSA guidelines and promote safety within the fleet. 

Conclusion

Maintaining compliance is essential for any fleet business, but it doesn’t have to be a challenge. Azuga offers technologies that help fleets keep track of all the information they need with plug and play devices that are easy to use. Stay up to date with the latest FMCSA guidelines on Azuga’s blog. To get started with Azuga’s technology, reach out to an expert today!