What the rules actually say, cited to the regulation rather than paraphrased from another website. Inspection requirements, out-of-service criteria, and how maintenance violations score against you.
An out-of-service order stops the truck where it stands until the defect is repaired. The criteria are published, they are specific, and most OOS orders come from a short list of conditions that a driver can check before the scale.
Updated · 49 CFR 396.9, 49 CFR 393.52
Every commercial motor vehicle needs a periodic inspection at least once every twelve months, performed by a qualified inspector against a defined federal standard. Here is what the rule says, who is allowed to sign it, and what the inspection actually covers.
Updated · 49 CFR 396.17, 49 CFR 396.19, 49 CFR Part 396 Appendix A
Roadside maintenance violations feed a score that affects who will insure you, who will load you, and how often you get inspected. Here is how the weighting works and which repair decisions actually move it.
Updated · 49 CFR 385.3