Motor Carrier General Orders Rules and Regulations Pamphlet No. 2003

The brake lining on every motor vehicle shall be so constructed and installed as not to be subject to excessive fading and grabbing and shall be adequate in thickness, means of attachment, and physical characteristics to provide for safe and reliable stopping of the motor vehicle…

All brakes with which a motor vehicle is equipped must at all times be capable of operating.

Every bus, truck and truck tractor using air or vacuum for braking shall be equipped with reserve capacity or a reservoir sufficient to insure a full service brake application with the engine stopped without depleting the air pressure or vacuum below 70% of that pressure or degre…

Each motor vehicle shall have a signal that provides a warning to the driver when a failure occurs in the vehicle's service brake system. Said signal shall comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations in 49 C.F.R. 393.51.

(1) Service Brakes (a) Passenger-carrying vehicles and property-carrying vehicles with the gross loaded weight of less than 10,000 pounds must be capable of stopping within 25 feet at a speed of 20 miles per hour. (b) All other vehicles shall be capable of stopping within 40 feet…

(1) Application - The provisions of this section apply to the systems for containing and supplying fuel for the operation of motor vehicles or for the operation of auxiliary equipment installed on, or used in connection with, motor vehicles. (2) Location - Each fuel system must b…

Liquid fuel tanks must be manufactured and mounted in a manner to provide safety during normal operations of the motor vehicle involved.

A fuel system that uses liquefied petroleum gas as a fuel for the operation of a motor vehicle or for the operation of auxiliary equipment installed on, or used in connection with, a motor vehicle must conform to the standards required by the Federal Department of Transportation.

Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 770-X-10-.17-4-1-.24

(1) Tracking - When two or more vehicles are operated in combination, the coupling devices connecting the vehicles shall be designed, constructed and installed, and the vehicles shall be designed and constructed, so that when the combination is operated in a straight line on a le…

(1) Number and Combinations (a) No more than three saddle-mounts may be used in any combination. (b) No more than one tow-bar may be used in any combination; (c) When motor vehicles are towed by means of triple saddle-mounts, the towed vehicles shall have brakes acting on all whe…

Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 770-X-10-.17-5

No motor vehicle shall be operated on any tire that does not comply with Alabama law, and no motor vehicle shall be operated with regrooved, recapped or retreaded tires on the front wheels.

(1) Contaminated Air - No heater shall permit the conveyance of exhaust gases into compartments occupied by the driver, passengers or any other persons. (2) Unenclosed Flame Heaters - No heater employing a flame which is not fully enclosed shall be used except for heating the car…

(1) Windshield Condition - Every windshield shall be free of discoloration or other damage in that portion thereof extending upward from the height of the topmost portion of the steering wheel, but not including a two-inch border at the top and a one-inch border at each side of t…

Every vehicle having a windshield shall be equipped with at least two automatically operated windshield wiper blades, one at each side of the center line of the windshield, for cleaning rain, snow, or other moisture from the windshield and which shall be in such condition as to p…

Every vehicle shall be equipped with two rear-vision mirrors, one at each side firmly attached to the outside of the motor vehicle, and so located as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway to the rear along both sides of the vehicle; provided, however, that only one outsi…

Every vehicle shall be equipped with a horn and actuating elements which shall be in such condition as to give an adequate and reliable warning signal.

Every vehicle shall be equipped with a speedometer indicating vehicle speed in miles per hour, which shall be operative with reasonable accuracy; however, this requirement shall not apply to any driven vehicle which is part of a shipment being delivered in a driveaway-towaway ope…

Any motor vehicle having a load which extends beyond the sides or more than four feet beyond the rear shall have the extremities of the load marked with a red flag, not less than twelve inches square.

Any motor vehicle equipped with a television viewer, screen or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast shall have the viewer or screen located in the motor vehicle at a point at the rear of the back of the driver's seat if such viewer or screen is in the same com…

All buses, trucks and semi-trailers shall have mudflaps covering the rear of the rear wheels sufficient to prevent as far as practicable gravel, stones or other materials from being thrown into the windshield of other vehicles.

(1) Fire Extinguisher - Every power unit, except taxis, must be equipped with a fire extinguisher that is properly filled and located so that it is readily accessible for use. The fire extinguisher must be securely mounted on the vehicle. The fire extinguisher must have a dial ga…

(1) Every truck and every tractor/trailer combination, when transporting cargo, must be loaded and equipped to prevent the shifting of the cargo and to prevent the cargo from falling from the vehicle. (2) An open-top cargo vehicle transporting commodities in bulk shall have a tar…

(1) All carriers operating on the highways of this State under the jurisdiction of this Commission shall file with the Commission reports of any and all accidents occurring on the highways of this State involving property damage of $2,000.00 or more or involving injury to, or dea…

Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 770-X-10-.17-6

(1) General - Except as provided in paragraph (B) of this section, every motor carrier and its officers, drivers, agents, employees and representatives shall comply with the rules in this part and every motor carrier shall require that its officers, drivers, agents, employees and…

(1) As used in this rule, the following words and terms are construed to mean: (a) On-duty Time - All time from the time a driver begins to work or is required to be in readiness to work until the time he is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work. The term …

(1) Except as provided in 770-X-10-.17-6-.01(B)(ii), no motor carrier shall permit or require any driver used by it to drive, nor shall any such driver drive, more than ten hours following eight consecutive hours off duty or drive for any period after having been on duty fifteen …

When a driver, at the direction of a motor carrier, is traveling but not driving or assuming any other responsibility to the carrier, such time shall be counted as on-duty time unless the driver is afforded at least eight consecutive hours off duty when arriving at destination, i…

(1) Except as provided in 770-X-10-.17-6-.01(2) every motor carrier shall require that a driver's daily log shall be made in duplicate by every driver used by him or it and every driver who operates a motor vehicle shall make such a log. Failure to make logs, failure to make requ…

(1) Authority to Declare Drivers "Out of Service" - Every enforcement officer of this Commission is authorized to declare a driver out of service and to notify the motor carrier of that declaration, if he finds at the time and place of examination that the driver has driven or be…

Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 770-X-10-.17-7

(1) Every motor carrier shall systematically inspect and maintain, or cause to be systematically maintained, all motor vehicles subject to its control, and the accessories required hereby to be mounted thereon, to insure that such motor vehicles and accessories are in safe and pr…

No motor carrier shall permit or require a driver to drive any motor vehicle revealed by inspection or operation to be in such condition that its operation would be hazardous or likely to result in a breakdown of the vehicle, nor shall any driver drive any motor vehicle which by …

(1) Authority to Declare Vehicles "Out of Service" - Every enforcement officer of this Commission is authorized to inspect motor carriers' vehicles and is authorized to declare out of service any vehicle which by reason of its mechanical condition or loading is so imminently dang…

No motor carrier shall permit or require a driver to drive, nor shall any driver drive, a motor vehicle which has been damaged in an accident or by other cause until inspection has been made by a person qualified to ascertain the nature and extent of the damage and the relationsh…

(1) Reports by Drivers - Every motor carrier operating more than one motor vehicle shall require its drivers to report, and every driver shall report, in writing, to his dispatcher or other responsible person, at the completion of his day's work or tour of duty, any defect or def…

Each motor carrier engaged in the transportation of explosives, hazardous materials, or hazardous wastes, as defined by the United States Department of Transportation, must comply with the United States Department of Transportation regulations governing carriage by public highway…

Any driver receiving a citation from a member of the Motor Carrier Enforcement Division to appear in court for a violation of the Alabama Motor Carrier Act or any rule or regulation of the Commission who fails to appear in the proper court or to settle the case shall be disqualif…

Carriers who transport passengers in wheelchairs shall provide securement locations with systems to secure the wheelchair in a manner to keep the wheelchair within the securement area. This system must not require the active attention of the driver.

Transportation Brokers Notes Ala. Admin. Code r. 770-X-10-.18

The following sections apply, to the extent provided herein, to all brokers of transportation by motor vehicle as defined in 18.2.

(1) As used in these sections, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: (a) "Broker" means any person as defined in Section 37-2-2(9), Code of Ala. 1975, who, as principal or agent, for compensation, sells or offers for sale transportation subject to the Alabama Mot…

(1) Each broker shall keep and retain for a period of three (3) years an exact record of each transaction in which he participates which records shall show for each transaction: (a) Name and address of consignor. (b) Name, address, and the lead or principal certificate or permit …

In the execution of any contract, agreement, or arrangement to sell, provide, procure, furnish or arrange for any transportation by motor vehicle, no broker shall employ, allocate, or surrender any shipment to any carrier by motor vehicle who, or which, cannot lawfully transport …

(1) No broker shall perform any brokerage service or hold himself out to perform such service, by advertisement or otherwise, in any name other than that in which his license is issued. (2) No broker shall directly or by implication represent himself to be a carrier in respect to…