FMCSA’s New Rules Are Coming: What Truckers Need to Know

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is continuing work on several regulatory and enforcement initiatives, including hours-of-service policy, carrier maintenance records, commercial driver licensing, training-provider oversight and its new MOTUS registration system.

Hours-of-service changes remain unresolved

Following protests and a petition from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, FMCSA took steps to strengthen hours-of-service regulations, but no major revision has been finalized.

“For years, our members have told lawmakers and FMCSA that existing hours-of-service rules are not sensible for today’s trucking industry,” OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh said.

The agency has indicated that additional regulatory proposals could be advanced in 2026 as it continues reviewing existing trucking rules.

FMCSA moves to renew maintenance-record requirement

On July 16, 2026, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice outlining plans to renew its approved information collection covering inspection, repair and maintenance records.

Motor carriers are required to maintain those records as part of their obligation to keep commercial motor vehicles in safe operating condition and reduce the likelihood of crashes. The renewal concerns the information carriers must collect and retain to demonstrate compliance.

Enforcement targets drivers, training providers and carriers

Under Administrator Derek Barrs, FMCSA has increased enforcement involving English-language proficiency and commercial driver’s license requirements. The agency also is targeting fraudulent training schools, noncompliant electronic logging device providers and so-called chameleon carriers that attempt to evade enforcement by operating under new identities.

FMCSA officials said the agency has removed more than 10,000 training providers from its registry since December 2025. Providers self-certify that they meet requirements involving curriculum, instructors, facilities, vehicles and recordkeeping. FMCSA can audit providers and remove them when they cannot demonstrate compliance.

The Truck Safety Coalition opposed granting an exemption sought by Aurora, calling the proposal “regulatory malpractice.” Aurora has continued planning for a broader driverless-truck operation, according to information released in connection with its third-quarter 2026 business update.

MOTUS transition continues

FMCSA also is working to complete the rollout of its MOTUS online registration dashboard. FMCSA Chief Safety Officer Steve Dowling said the agency continues to address the system’s remaining issues.

FMCSA has acknowledged user-experience challenges with the launch. Some users have reported difficulty linking existing accounts to MOTUS and confirming that information transferred correctly from legacy agency systems.