The Navigator Blog

Effective March 11, 2024, the FMCSA’s final rule will rescind the Independent Contractor Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act rule (2021 IC Rule) and replace it with an updated analysis for determining employee or independent contractor status that is more consistent with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) — as interpreted by longstanding judicial precedent. While the goal, according to the FMCSA, is to correctly classify employees and independent contractors, the same six factors that were used before this final rule, have been weighted differently — subtly shifting the mindset of the classification system and making it more challenging

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

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.