How State and Federal Laws Regulate the Trucking Industry 

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics nearly two million Americans drive heavy trucks and tractor trailers on United States roads every year, affecting many people. The federal government and New York state have taken steps to improve the safety of commercial motor vehicles, which can help to protect the drivers and others on the road around them.  

Federal Regulation  

The federal government shapes the trucking sector through an array of laws and regulations, including initiatives by its agencies.  

• The Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration, which was established in 2000, aims to contribute to ensuring enforcement of safety regulations, improving safety information systems, increasing safety awareness, and improving commercial motor vehicle equipment and standards; and 

• The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, which has a broader focus on transportation safety, including cars, conducts significant research on heavy vehicles, which includes trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more.   

Federal laws are meant to make trucking safer and more efficient. The Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration regulates, among other things, how long truck drivers can drive within a specified period of time  

New York Truck Regulations

New York State also regulates trucking. Among other things, the state regulates, through its motor-vehicle division, commercial-driver’s license requirements. New York has adopted the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, and CDL licenses are issued in accordance with the provisions of that act, which established minimum standards for the licensing, testing, qualifications and classifications of commercial motor vehicle operators.   

Commercial truck drivers who travel on New York highways are also subject to the state’s Vehicle & Traffic Law, which contains important rules of the road.  

Injured in an Accident Involving a Truck?

Truck accidents can be especially dangerous because of the size and weight of trucks. If you’re in an accident involving a large truck and are seeking a personal injury lawyer, the attorneys at William Mattar, P.C., are ready to help. Contact us today.  (844) 444-4444.