FMCSA cracking down on trailer placard use

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) plans to strictly enforce a requirement prohibiting motor carriers from placing extraneous information on placards and in placard holders on trailers, devices that FMCSA said must be reserved for hazardous materials information. The agency said it is taking this action as a result of a requirement issued by DOT's Research and Special Programs

Sean Kilcarr

Jan. 3, 2002

The agency said it is taking this action as a result of a requirement issued by DOT's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) that prohibits the use of placards for anything but hazardous materials information. That means advertisement messages and even safety slogans such as "Drive Safely" will be banned from trailer placards.

The prohibition subjects violators to a civil penalty of at least $250 and not more than $27,500 per violation, said FMCSA.

About the Author

Sean Kilcarr

Editor in Chief

Sean Kilcarr is a former longtime FleetOwner senior editor who wrote for the publication from 2000 to 2018. He served as editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2018.