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FMCSR Motor Carrier Compliance General Applicability and Recordkeeping Online Course

60 minutesENSafety Training49 CFR Part 390 - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (General)
Quick Answer

FMCSR Motor Carrier Compliance: General Applicability and Recordkeeping is a 60-minute online course that trains motor carrier personnel on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) under 49 CFR Part 390, including applicability requirements, definitions, and recordkeeping obligations. It is designed for CMV operators, safety directors, HR personnel, and compliance staff, and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.

Course Overview

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) under 49 CFR Parts 390-399 establish the minimum safety standards for motor carriers, drivers, and commercial motor vehicles operating in interstate commerce. FMCSA enforces these regulations through compliance reviews, roadside inspections, and audits - and violations carry substantial penalties. As of 2025, the maximum daily penalty for DOT recordkeeping violations is $1,584 per day, with the maximum total penalty for a single recordkeeping violation reaching $15,846. Motor carriers operating after receiving an unsatisfactory safety rating face penalties up to $34,116 per day. FMCSA has significantly increased the use of offsite (remote) audits, meaning carriers must maintain digital records that can be produced within 48 hours of an audit request.

This course, developed in conjunction with DOT Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) experts, prepares your motor carrier personnel to understand which operations and employees are subject to the FMCSRs and how to maintain the documentation FMCSA requires. Your team will learn the regulatory framework of 49 CFR Part 390, including the definitions of commercial motor vehicles and interstate commerce, applicability exemptions, registration requirements (MCS-150), accident recordkeeping obligations under 49 CFR 390.15, and general recordkeeping standards under 49 CFR 390.29 and 390.31. The course addresses the practical compliance questions that safety directors and HR personnel encounter when determining which regulations apply to their operations.

What You'll Learn

  • Structure and scope of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR Parts 390-399)
  • Definitions of commercial motor vehicle, motor carrier, and interstate commerce under 49 CFR 390.5
  • General applicability of the FMCSRs and statutory exemptions under 49 CFR 390.3
  • Motor carrier identification and registration requirements (MCS-150 filing)
  • Accident recordkeeping requirements under 49 CFR 390.15 including the three-year register
  • General recordkeeping standards under 49 CFR 390.29 and document reproduction rules under 390.31
  • FMCSA inspection cooperation requirements and penalties for non-compliance
  • How USDOT numbers, safety ratings, and CSA scores relate to carrier compliance

Who Needs This Training

  • Safety directors and compliance managers at motor carrier operations
  • Fleet managers responsible for DOT regulatory compliance
  • Human resources personnel managing driver qualification files
  • Commercial motor vehicle operators who need to understand FMCSR applicability
  • Owner-operators and small fleet owners navigating federal compliance requirements
  • New safety department hires at trucking, bus, or motorcoach companies

Regulatory Background

49 CFR Part 390 establishes the general framework for all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, defining which employers, employees, and vehicles are subject to federal safety oversight. The FMCSRs apply to all motor carriers, drivers, and CMVs transporting property or passengers in interstate commerce, with specific thresholds based on gross vehicle weight rating (10,001 pounds or more for property carriers) and passenger capacity. FMCSA enforces compliance through roadside inspections, compliance reviews, targeted investigations, and increasingly through offsite audits. The 2025 penalty schedule establishes maximum fines of $1,584 per day for recordkeeping violations (up to $15,846 total per violation), $21,114 for financial responsibility violations, and $34,116 per day for operating after an unsatisfactory safety rating. Motor carriers must maintain a register of all reportable crashes for the preceding three years under 49 CFR 390.15 and must cooperate fully with FMCSA investigations. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) coordinates enforcement at the state level through standardized inspection programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Under 49 CFR 390.5, a commercial motor vehicle is any self-propelled or towed vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when it has a GVWR or GCWR of 10,001 pounds or more, is designed to transport more than 8 passengers for compensation (or 15+ passengers without compensation), or transports hazardous materials requiring placarding. A separate definition under 49 U.S.C. 31301(4) applies for CDL and drug/alcohol testing requirements.
As of 2025, FMCSA can impose penalties of up to $1,584 per day for recordkeeping violations, with the total penalty for a single violation capped at $15,846. Failure to allow FMCSA inspectors to examine records carries the same penalty structure. Motor carriers operating after an unsatisfactory safety rating face up to $34,116 per day, or $102,348 per day if transporting placarded hazardous materials.
The FMCSRs primarily apply to interstate commerce. However, the definition of interstate commerce is broad and includes transportation between two places within a state that is part of trade originating or terminating outside the state. Many operations that appear purely intrastate may actually fall under federal jurisdiction. Additionally, states may adopt and enforce the FMCSRs for intrastate operations through their own regulations.
Motor carriers must maintain a register of all reportable crashes (as defined in 49 CFR 390.5) that occurred during the preceding three years. The register must include the date, location, driver name, number of injuries, number of fatalities, and whether hazardous materials were released. Carriers must also cooperate fully with FMCSA crash investigations and may be required to submit formal accident reports.
FMCSA has dramatically increased the use of offsite (remote) DOT audits, with offsite audit volume growing approximately 400% between 2019 and 2020. In an offsite audit, enforcement officers can require carriers to submit complete driver records in digital format within as little as 48 hours. This makes digital recordkeeping systems and audit-ready documentation essential for compliance. Carriers that cannot produce records on demand face penalties under the recordkeeping violation schedule.
$34.95
per person
Volume Pricing
Team Size Price per Person
1 - 9$34.95
10 - 24$27.96
25 - 49$25.16
50 - 99$17.50
Subtotal $34.95

Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.

$34.95
per person