July 2026

Department Of Transportation - DOT

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has removed certain regulations.

• No more self-reporting out-of-state tickets: If you hold a commercial driver's license, you are no longer required by federal law to manually report out-of-state traffic convictions to your home state, as state licensing agencies now exchange this data electronically.

  
  

• Ditch the physical ELD manual: You no longer need to keep a paper copy of your electronic logging device user manual inside your vehicle, though you must still know how to operate the device and present your records during roadside inspections.

  
  

• No more universal state-level paperwork: Motor carriers and intermodal equipment providers are only required to submit completed roadside inspection reports to states that explicitly request them.

MOTUS

• What's New: The platform collapses three legacy databases into one and introduces USDOT number suffixes. Legacy tools were permanently shut down on May 14, 2026. 

  
  

• Existing Carriers (Delayed / Future Notice): The FMCSA has explicitly stated that suffixes will not go into effect for existing carriers during the initial rollout of the system. Because appending suffixes is tied to a broader plan to retire MC numbers completely, the FMCSA has pushed this change out to a future Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Existing carriers will not see suffixes on their current numbers until the public comment period and final ruling are complete. The suffixes will be as follows:

• C: Property Carrier Operating Authority

• V: Private Carrier

• P: Passenger Operating Authority

• H: Household Goods Carrier Operating Authority

• B: Broker Operating Authority

• F: Freight Forwarder Operating Authority

• E: Enterprise Operating Authority

• X: MX Long-Haul

• Z: MX Commercial Zone

• N: Non-North America Domiciled

• R: Intrastate Carrier

If a company holds multiple authorities (e.g., operating as both a motor carrier and a freight broker), all applicable suffixes will be displayed consecutively on their digital profile, e.g., USDOT 1234567(CB).

As a reminder, even when suffixes eventually roll out to everyone, they are strictly for digital system references—you will never be required to paint or stick these single-letter suffixes onto your physical trucks.

• What Stays the Same: Existing USDOT and MC/MX/FF docket numbers are not changing. Furthermore, Safety Registration, the elimination of docket numbers, and BOC-3 processes are still under consideration and remain unchanged for now.

• System Phase: Motus is currently in its Phase II rollout, handling registration actions for motor carriers, freight brokers, and freight forwarders. 

• Claim Your Account: The designated Portal Company Official must log into Motus using their active FMCSA Portal Login.gov email to claim the fleet's USDOT number.

• Maintain Dual Access: Keep access to your traditional safety dashboards active, as Motus currently only handles registration and authority-related administrative filings, not active safety monitoring.

• Temporary Suspension: The agency paused the automatic inactivation of USDOT numbers for fleets lagging on their mandatory biennial updates due to platform access and system issues. 

• What is Paused: Carriers will receive extra time to complete updates without worrying about system-related lockouts.

Drug Testing

All carriers employing CDL drivers are required to implement a thorough drug and alcohol testing program. Annually, they must randomly test 10% of their drivers for alcohol and 50% for drugs. Additionally, companies must perform pre-employment (drug only), post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, and follow-up tests. The rate of drug use in the trucking industry is less than half that of other safety-sensitive workers who are subject to testing. Our office offers a drug and alcohol testing consortium that complies with all DOT requirements. The consortium includes drivers from both the U.S. and Canada. We charge an annual fee for each driver enrolled, which covers all random drug or drug and alcohol tests for the year. This fee includes the collection site, lab testing, and MRO fees. We can also arrange the necessary pre-employment drug testing. Collection sites are available throughout the U.S. and Canada. Carriers can register their drivers by reaching out to our office. After the fee is settled, the drivers are included in the pool. We can also assist you with the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse initial and annual queries.

Electronic Logging Devices - ELD We offer an ELD device through Geotab. This device is compliant with both the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the recordkeeping requirements of IFTA & IRP. You will no longer have to collect and keep your driver's trip reports and paper logbooks. There is no contract with this ELD device; there is a low monthly fee per unit for electronic logs and mileage tracking. There is a one-time setup fee per unit, including the EDL device, database, user, and vehicle setup. There are many reports and alerts available in the system to track and improve the driver’s habits. The unit plugs into the OBM port, and the electronic logs are run on your smartphone or a tablet with a data plan. For more information, visit our website and click on ELD. We also offer a GPS plan that does not include electronic logs at a low monthly rate per unit per month and a one-time setup fee. You would be able to track all of your vehicles on the map, and all mileage would be recorded.