The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) roadside inspections are examinations of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) and/or drivers by Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspectors. MCSAP inspectors conduct roadside inspections on CMVs and drivers to check that they are in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and/or Hazardous Materials Regulations.
If an inspection results in a serious violation, the driver will be issued an Out-of-Service (OOS) order. These violations must be corrected before the driver or vehicle can return to service. The FMCSA keeps a close eye on the most common violations committed by CMV drivers. This data can be used to help CMV drivers stay safe and keep your business in compliance with the rules of the road. Here are the 10 most common OOS orders issued during the 2020 fiscal year for driver violations.
| Description of Violation | Violation Code | # of OOS Orders |
| 1. Operating a CMV without a commercial driver’s license (CDL). | 383.23A2 | 33,348 |
| 2. Electronic logging device (ELD) – No record of duty status (RODS) (ELD required). | 395.8AELD | 25,302 |
| 3. False report of driver’s RODS. | 395.8E | 24,112 |
| 4. No RODS when one is required (ELD not required). | 395.8ANONELD | 10,092 |
| 5. No driver’s RODS when one is required. | 395.8A | 7,160 |
| 6. Driver failing to retain previous seven days’ RODS. | 395.8K2 | 6,853 |
| 7. Driver does not have a valid operator’s license for the CMV being operated. | 391.11B5DNL | 5,887 |
| 8. Driver not physically qualified. | 391.11B4 | 3,692 |
| 9. Driver operating a CMV without proper endorsements or in violation of restrictions. | 391.11B5DEN | 3,547 |
| 10. Operating a property-carrying vehicle without possessing a valid medical certificate. | 391.41AFPC | 3,503 |
