December 29, 2024

New DOT fines could hit truckers' wallets hard

Steve Smith

New DOT fines could hit truckers' wallets hard

Truckers should be aware that fines for breaking regulations just increased. This news comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation, and it will be effective starting December 30, 2024.

What's changing: The fines are going up based on inflation, a requirement by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 2015. This affects all federal agencies.

For example, fines for out-of-service orders, which stop a truck from running when it's unsafe, are rising slightly.
Hazardous materials violations also see an increase, impacting safety and compliance costs.

Digging deeper: The adjustment means fines will grow by 1.02598 times over their previous levels, keeping them a significant deterrent, according to an official document.

The bottom line: The new rules take effect immediately when published, so truckers need to stay informed about these changes to avoid extra costs.

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