Monthly DOT Focus | August 2026
Good Afternoon,
If July was a reminder that the fundamentals still matter, August highlights something equally important:
The violations that get fleets into trouble are often the ones that seem too small to matter.
A cracked wheel, an inoperative light, missing reflective tape, expired training, or even an ELD that's no longer compliant may not seem like major issues on their own. But these are often the exact items inspectors notice first.
And once the inspection starts, everything else gets reviewed too.
Here are a few topics worth paying attention to this month.
🔋 HazMat Geek: Lithium Batteries Get Additional Weight Allowance
Effective September 3, 2026, changes to the 173.6 Materials of Trade (MOT) exception provide additional flexibility for certain lithium battery shipments. Spare lithium batteries may now be transported up to an aggregate gross weight of 1,102 pounds, with individual batteries limited to 66 pounds. Lithium batteries contained within equipment do not count toward these limits.
One item that stood out to me wasn't the weight increase itself.
The MOT exception still includes a training component.
While the regulations do not require documentation of that training, it's worth asking a simple question:
If an employee receives training but there's no record of it, how would you demonstrate compliance during an audit or investigation?
Sometimes the best compliance practice isn't what's required. It's what's easily proven.
🛞 OOS Corner: When Is a Wheel Defect an Out-of-Service Violation?
Wheel and rim violations remain one of the easiest defects to overlook during inspections.
A vehicle can be placed out of service for issues such as:
✅ Wheel cracks exceeding 3 inches
✅ Cracks connecting two openings
✅ Two or more cracks anywhere on the wheel
✅ Any visible elongated bolt/stud hole
✅ Excessive ineffective lug nuts
These defects often develop gradually, which makes pre-trip and maintenance inspections critical to finding problems before enforcement does.
Takeaway
If your maintenance team is already checking brakes, hubs, and tires, make sure wheel condition is receiving the same level of attention.
🧯 Driver Focus: Remember PASS
Most trucks carry a fire extinguisher.
Far fewer drivers ever receive meaningful refresher training on how to use one.
A simple way to remember the proper deployment procedure is:
P – Pull the pin
A – Aim at the base of the fire
S – Squeeze the handle
S – Sweep side to side
Just as importantly, always maintain an escape route and avoid placing yourself in a position where the fire blocks your exit path.
The goal isn't just carrying the equipment.
It's knowing what to do when seconds matter.
💡 Vehicle Talk: Burned-Out Lights Cost More Than CSA Points
Lighting devices and reflectors remain one of the most frequently cited categories during roadside inspections.
According to this month's newsletter, required lighting devices must operate whenever the vehicle is on public roadways, and reflective tape is also subject to inspection. Several common lighting violations carry six-point severity weights, while many reflective tape violations carry three-point values.
But the bigger concern isn't always the violation itself.
It's the attention it attracts.
A defective light is often one of the easiest issues for an inspector to spot. Once the vehicle is stopped, additional compliance, maintenance, and driver-related issues can quickly become part of the inspection.
The best way to avoid a detailed inspection is to eliminate the reasons to start one.
📱 National Focus: FMCSA Revokes Five ELDs
On August 6, 2026, FMCSA removed five electronic logging devices from its list of registered ELDs due to the providers' failure to meet minimum federal requirements. Carriers using these devices have 60 days to replace them and must transition to paper logs or logging software in the interim.
The revoked devices include:
Moonlight ELD
HGRS ELD
Highest ELD
Truckford ELD
Sparkle ELD
Action Item
If your fleet uses a third-party ELD provider, verify the device remains listed on FMCSA's registered ELD list.
Most carriers assume compliance once an ELD is installed.
This month's announcement is a good reminder that ELD compliance requires ongoing monitoring, not just initial implementation.
🚦 Final Thought: Small Issues Rarely Stay Small
There is a common theme across nearly every topic this month.
Wheel cracks start as small cracks.
Lighting violations start with a single bulb.
Training problems often start with undocumented conversations.
None of these issues are typically discovered overnight.
They develop gradually, often providing plenty of warning signs along the way.
The fleets that perform best during inspections aren't necessarily the fleets that never have problems.
They're the fleets that identify and address small problems before they become violations.
Because in trucking, major compliance issues often begin with minor details that were easy to ignore.
Need Help?
If you'd like to review your fleet's CSA trends, discuss compliance exposures, or understand how safety performance impacts your insurance program, I'd be happy to help.
Stay Safe and God Bless,
Zach Kuder, TRS
Roark & Sutton, LLC
📞 417-830-0466
📱 417-397-4670
✉️ Zach@roarkandsutton.com
