DOT RELATED

Last week we gave you a HUGE amount of information about everything that needs to be in a vehicle maintenance file.  The first thing we want to start with is that it is way easier in the event of an audit if you create a folder, digitally or on paper, for each unit...

We are back! And we are stoked to talk a bit about a portion of vehicle inspections that we tend to get a lot of questions on. Passenger vehicles! When do I need the P (Passenger) Endorsement on my CDL? It’s required when the vehicle is designed to transport 16...

Here at Eclipse DOT, as many of you know, we conduct a ton of CDL tests and CDL training to ensure you and your drivers can safely and properly inspect a vehicle prior to driving it. Something we spend a good chunk of time on when training is completing a vehicle...

If you have been through the process of acquiring a CDL, I am sure you remember the difficulties you experienced the first time you tried to back up your trailer and finish with it right where you wanted it. It isn’t rocket science, but if you don’t know what you’re...

  In a time-sensitive industry like trucking, an inspection can consume a significant amount of time that could have been spent on the road.  It's no surprise that inspections lasting only 10 to 15 minutes are common.  As if that weren't bad enough, some drivers...

Most people might be unfamiliar with UCR. One of the most frequently asked questions is what in the heck is UCR and do I need it? UCR or the Unified Carrier Registration is a requirement for any and all companies or individuals that operate commercial vehicles and...

Did you know that if you haul hazmat materials, you need to have a registration number with the PHMSA?  Not only that, but you need to update/renew your permit every year. https://portal.phmsa.dot.gov/ is where you can get that done. It doesn’t stop there, though. If...

Did you know that if you haul hazmat materials you need to have a registration number with the PHMSA?  Not only that but you need to update/renew your permit every year. https://portal.phmsa.dot.gov/ is where you can get that done. It doesn’t stop there though. If you...

If you haven't heard yet. Startartign next February, to be exact February 7th 2022. Anyone who wants to upgrade their CDL or get their initial CDL will have to go through Entry Level Driver Training. While I completely understand the premises behind this rule, I...

Did you know that every CMV (Commercial Motor Vehicle) needs to have an annual DOT inspection every single year? Any vehicle that is used as a CMV.  FMCSA identifies a CMV as any vehicle that is used for interstate commerce and has a GCWR (Gross Combined Weight...

Hours Of Service Exemptions Exceptions From the Hours-of-Service Regulations Category Type of Exception Conditions That Must Be Met 49 CFR Section Adverse driving conditions • Up to 2 additional hours of driving time Drivers are allowed to extend the 11/10-hour...

In a past Blog we gave you the HOS FACTS about passenger Carrying CMV’s Now we are going to dig into the rules about vehicles that carry passengers so you can better understand them. On Duty time What is considered “On Duty” time? Pretty much anything that you get...

Everyone is diffrent this is how we did it for over 5 years! 7.9.21 Who needs to worry about Hours of Service? In another blog we gave you the quick and easy bullet points of HOS.   This is where we get to dive deeper into HOS so you can have a better understanding of...

We seem to be getting a ton of questions about Hours of Service (HOS) lately! So we thought why not write a blog answering all of those questions. Let's jump in and get started. The Facts Property carrying vehicles You can only drive for 11 hours You can’t drive after...

“The greatest mistake to make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.”  -Elbert Hubbard U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Drug & Alcohol Supervisor Training Guidance  Have you ever received a notice stating the following?  “Your Company is out...

Don't let a lack of knowledge get you into a bind when it comes to Hazardous Materials Every day facilities across America send out thousands of shipments.  We depend on safe and efficient transportation by air, land, and sea to get these goods to their destinations....

“Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance, you must keep moving.”Albert Einstein So you want to cross state lines with your CDL truck, there are a few things that you need to know before you do it. The first thing is to make sure your DOT number is set up...

"There is more credit and satisfaction in being a first-rate truck driver than a tenth-rate executive"  B.C. Forbes Do you have a rub rail on your vehicle? Are all of your securing devices on the inside of your rub rail? If you don’t have a rub rail are there any...

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"  President Ronald Regan  Let's start with the difference between CDL, CMV, non DOT drivers.   Most people think that they are pretty much the same thing.  ...

"A Good Truck Driver Can't even Spell CDL.  Just kidding" Anonymous  What is a Non-CDL CMV?   Holy cow that was a ton of acronyms to have in the first sentence of a blog.  Lol Let's start with what those mean.  CMV = Commercial Motor Vehicle.  In layman's terms, a CMV...

Knowing if you need a DOT number can be confusing we're going to help you determine whether you need one or not. The first question we have is do you operate vehicles?  Yes! Is it for business or personal use? If it's for personal use and you're not making any money...

Hours of Service can be confusing, we help you navigate through the regulations. HOS is vital for all Commercial Vehicle (CMV) drivers to know. First, we need to start with who are CMV drivers. The federal government states that anyone who operates a vehicle with a...

There are tons of things to talk about under the Short Haul Exemption, but we're not going to get into the weeds today. What we're going to focus on is the 70 hours in 8-day or 60 hours in 7-day rule. Did you know that under the short haul exemption you still have to...

I am going to apologize for this blog before you start to ready it.  This is going to be a ton of facts all thrown at you all at once.  If you make it to the end you are either really interested in DOT or you are one tough dude or dudet. Lol Let’s start with what is a...

Have you ever wondered what exactly is involved in stopping your vehicle? Whether it is small or large the basic components and principles of stopping the vehicle are the same; however, there are two different sources that power the brakes, hydraulic (which uses...

This month we will be covering Hours of Service or HOS.  HOS is vital for all Commercial Vehicle (CMV) drivers to know.  First, we need to start with who are CMV drivers.  The federal government states that anyone who operates a vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight...

Driver Qualifications (DQ) files can be tricky. We want to help you know exactly what need to be in them. We have been getting tons of questions on drive files so we thought we would take a moment and explain exactly what you need and how long you need to keep it. The...

First of all, let’s identify how the Department of Transportation (DOT) defines Hazardous Materials or Hazmat. .. DOT defines a hazardous material as any item or chemical which, when being transported or moved in commerce, is a risk to public safety or the...

With so many ways to newtork where do YOU start? I will start by apologizing for all of the acronyms in this post. The DOT techie side came out as I wrote it. lol Recently I attended the CVSA annual conference in Biloxi Mississippi. It was awesome to be able to be in...

FMCSA Publishes proposed rule change for HOS On august 14th the FMCSA published their long awaited proposed rule changes to the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. They have proposed five new rule changes that will have all industries celebrating and ELD providers may...

The best way to explain DOT regulations is, they’re like an iceberg! I wasn’t thinking about huge and massive, or cold hearted and boring. But both of those seem to fit when you start looking at the them. I was talking about how most of the regulations you don’t see,...

A sure-fire way to pass a roadside inspection We’ve all failed a roadside inspection in the past but that’s not going to stop us from driving. So let’s wipe away those tears and pull up our big girl panties and keep on trucking. There’s a few things that you really...

Roadside inspections can be brutal. This will help you know the facts! This month we will be talking about the different levels of vehicle inspection that are conducted at Ports Of Entry (POE) or roadside inspection stations. We will also discuss what the officer will...

Who is ultimately responsible for determining if a driver is qualified to operate a vehicle for the company? Most employees believe that it is the companies’ responsibility, while most employers believe it is the drivers’ responsibility. The truth is that is both the...

The goverment might have put the cart before the horse, but what else is new! By now most us have at least heard about the NEW clearinghouse that the federal government put into effect on Jan 6th 2020.  There is a lot of different “facts” floating around out there...

We have to watch out for one-another! If you see anyone suffering from a Heat Related Illness don’t wait to get them help. You might just save their LIFE   This month we will be talking about heat illness. I know most of you spend the majority of your day in your...

House hold wast and how to deal with it We have been dealing with the waste industry for years and one of the things that we are passionate about is finding out people’s needs and helping them make an economical decision on dealing with their waste struggles. We would...