Truck Dispatcher Regulations and Compliance 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Agreement, who is required to register?
- Only carriers with more than 10 trucks
- Motor carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and leasing companies engaged in interstate commerce (Correct answer)
- Only carriers transporting hazardous materials
- Carriers operating exclusively within a single state
Correct answer: Motor carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and leasing companies engaged in interstate commerce
The UCR program requires motor carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and leasing companies engaged in interstate commerce to register annually and pay a fee.
Question 2: What information is NOT required on a Bill of Lading for a domestic freight shipment?
- Shipper and consignee names and addresses
- Description and weight of freight
- The driver's social security number (Correct answer)
- Point of origin and destination
Correct answer: The driver's social security number
A Bill of Lading requires shipper/consignee info, freight description, weight, and origin/destination — driver personal identifiers like SSN are never included.
Question 3: Under 49 CFR Part 387, what is the minimum public liability insurance requirement for a for-hire motor carrier transporting non-hazmat freight in vehicles over 10,001 lbs GVWR?
- $300,000
- $750,000 (Correct answer)
- $1,000,000
- $5,000,000
Correct answer: $750,000
FMCSA requires for-hire carriers transporting non-hazmat general freight in vehicles over 10,001 lbs GVWR to maintain a minimum of $750,000 in public liability coverage.
Question 4: A carrier receives a 'Conditional' safety rating from FMCSA. What does this mean operationally?
- The carrier may operate normally with no restrictions
- The carrier has deficiencies and must take corrective action to avoid escalation to Unsatisfactory (Correct answer)
- The carrier is immediately shut down until deficiencies are corrected
- The carrier must reapply for operating authority within 30 days
Correct answer: The carrier has deficiencies and must take corrective action to avoid escalation to Unsatisfactory
A Conditional rating means FMCSA found safety management control deficiencies; the carrier can continue operating but must correct deficiencies or risk an Unsatisfactory rating.
Question 5: Which regulation requires motor carriers to retain driver qualification files, including medical certificates and employment applications?
- 49 CFR Part 382
- 49 CFR Part 391 (Correct answer)
- 49 CFR Part 395
- 49 CFR Part 376
Correct answer: 49 CFR Part 391
49 CFR Part 391 governs driver qualifications and specifies that carriers must maintain a driver qualification file for each driver they employ.
Question 6: What is the maximum fine FMCSA can impose per violation per day for a carrier found to be in violation of federal safety regulations?
- $1,000
- $5,000
- $16,000 (Correct answer)
- $25,000
Correct answer: $16,000
FMCSA civil penalties can reach up to approximately $16,000 per violation per day for general safety violations, with higher caps for egregious or hazmat violations.
Question 7: A dispatcher learns that a driver's commercial driver's license (CDL) was suspended yesterday. What must the dispatcher do?
- Allow the driver to complete the current load, then take the license
- Remove the driver from CMV operation immediately and notify the carrier (Correct answer)
- Issue the driver a 48-hour grace period per FMCSA rules
- File a report with FMCSA within 72 hours and let the driver continue
Correct answer: Remove the driver from CMV operation immediately and notify the carrier
A driver with a suspended CDL is disqualified from operating a CMV; the dispatcher must immediately remove that driver from service and inform the carrier.
Truck Dispatcher Regulations and Compliance 5
Under the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Agreement, who is required to register?