The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has established new, stricter minimum requirements for U.S. and Canadian motor carriers applying for operating authority.

Starting next year, applicants will have to demonstrate their knowledge of safety regulations and undergo an on-site safety audit within the first 18 months of operations before receiving permanent operating authority.
New entrants must certify that they will comply with applicable requirements covering driver qualifications, hours of service, controlled substance and alcohol testing, vehicle condition, accident monitoring, and hazardous materials transportation.
The FMCSA will help the process by giving educational and technical assistance to new carriers.
The new rules are similar to those established this year for Mexican-domiciled carriers that will be operating in the U.S. for the first time under the terms of the long-delayed North American Free Trade Agreement.
This regulation, in an interim final rule, responds to requirements of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999. The effective date is Jan. 1, 2003. This will allow the agency sufficient time to put into place the necessary resources to conduct safety audits prescribed by the rule. The FMCSA expects approximately 40,000 new-entrant applications annually.
Written comments on this interim final rule should be sent by June 30, 2002, to the USDOT Docket Facility, Attn: Docket No. FMCSA-2001-11061, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington, DC 20590-0001 or faxed to (202) 493-2251. The rule also is on the Internet and can be viewed after searching at http://dms.dot.gov. Comments may be submitted electronically at http://dmses.dot.gov/submit.