Transportation Blog

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has begun enforcement of stricter rules for new entrants into the trucking business.

The rule, which went into effect Wednesday, significantly raises the bar for would-be carriers. Previously, an applicant simply had to certify that he understood the safety rules and clear a safety audit before he could get permanent registration. That was too easy, the agency said. Now if an applicant commits any of a number of specific violations, he will fail the audit. If he does not correct the violation, his application will be denied.