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New FMCSA Regulations: Financial Responsibility of a Property Broker and Freight Forwarder

The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) revised its regulations about the financial responsibility of a property broker and freight forwarder. Effective January 16, 2024, the Final Rule outlines five regulatory areas relating to the financial responsibility of a property broker and freight forwarder. Compliance to the provisions listed above will be required for brokers, surety providers, and financial institutions starting January 16, 2024. View the complete and Final Rule by FMCSA to stay in compliance. Sometimes different circumstances can take us by surprise, but our team at Navigator is here to help you stay the course and make the

The Rundown on DataQs

Did you ever wonder exactly what DataQ is? Think this: the Q equals quality. As a Motor Carrier, data is gathered about you from a variety of places. These can include inspections of a tractor, trailer, or driver, investigations of a Motor Carrier (onsite audit), etc. This data is often entered into tracking systems manually. Once the data is collected and entered into the appropriate systems, it’s then sent over to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA uses this data for each Motor Carrier to create accurate safety scores. Sometimes, the person entering the information into the

Michigan’s Distracted Driving Law Takes Effect June 30

Starting June 30, Michigan will become the 26th state to establish a hands-free driving law. While texting and driving was already illegal, it will now be worth hefty fines and/or community service for drivers of commercial vehicles and individuals who hold their phones to do any task, including, but not limited to the following: While there are a few exceptions to the law, such as calling 9-1-1 in an emergency situation, the goal is to stop distracted driving — the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

72 Hours of International Roadcheck Starts May 16

May 16–18 marks 2023’s International Roadcheck — a high-visibility, high-volume commercial motor vehicle inspection and enforcement event. During Roadcheck, inspections by CVSA-certified inspectors will occur at weigh/inspection stations, designated inspection areas, and along roadways. This year, inspectors will focus on anti-lock braking systems and cargo securement. The goal is to highlight the importance of those key aspects of vehicle safety. Data will be gathered from those three days and shared later this year, as a snapshot of the state of commercial motor vehicle and driver safety. Learn more on Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)’s website.

FMCSA Proposes Safety Measurement Changes and Asks for Feedback

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has just started inviting comments on proposed changes to its important Safety Measurement System (SMS) for commercial trucks and fleets. The SMS currently assesses which motor carriers pose the greatest risk to safety through data collected from roadside inspections, crash reports, and investigations. They then use the data for the purpose of intervention. Some of the proposed changes include reorganizing the SMS’s safety categories (currently known as “BASICs”); organizing roadside violations into violation groups for prioritization purposes; simplifying violation severity weights; adjusting some of the Intervention Thresholds that identify companies for possible intervention;

How does paying my truck drivers per diem help my company?

Author: Michael Ritzema, President of Superior Trucking Payroll Service What is Per Diem? Per Diem is Latin for “by the day.” In the federal tax world, it represents the expense that an employee would need to work out of location for work. Expenses like food. Every employee working out of location is entitled to up to $66.00, 80% of which can be written off for income tax purposes. Breakdown for the Employer For every day that your driver spends working away from home $66.00 of their earnings for the day can count as per diem and won’t be taxed like

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