No matter what kind of construction material your drivers are hauling, Foley has you covered.
The severe construction material shortages we all saw during the early parts of the Covid-19 pandemic may have plateaued a bit, but depending on the type of construction project, there can still be big volatility in prices, delivery times, and availability. The last thing suppliers need to worry about right now is their DOT compliance.
Any construction material delivery that meets these measurements is regulated by the FMCSA, and your company must consider a DOT number and CDL licenses for each driver:
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Your company needs a USDOT number if your team operates any vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 10,001 pounds or more and is involved in interstate commerce (traveling across state lines).
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Your drivers are required to have a CDL if they operate vehicles with a GVW or GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more. They are also required to have a CDL for transporting hazardous materials of any size.
There are also specific regulations and best practices for specific types of construction material delivery. Let's dive into the rules you need to know that will keep the roads safe and help your company avoid fines.
Dump Truck Delivery
This type of construction haul can include:
- sand/fill
- rocks
- debris pick up
While regulations around coverage of loads in a dump truck vary from state to state, most states, like New York, have rules stating that loose material must be completely covered by an approved tarp or other material to prevent the cargo from falling onto the road or other vehicles.
Flatbed Delivery
Flatbed trucks can haul almost any object, but some of the most common construction material deliveries include:
- lumber
- steel
- roof framing
- tilt-wall panels
- glass panels
- concrete pipe
Because of the varying weight and shape of these deliveries, the FMCSA has created specific cargo securement rules that every driver and material supplier needs to keep in mind.
FMCSA requires that cargo securement systems be capable of withstanding the forces associated with the following three decelerations/accelerations, applied separately:
- 0.8 g deceleration in the forward direction;
- 0.5 g acceleration in the rearward direction; and
- 0.5 g acceleration in a lateral direction.
Drivers also need to inspect their tie-down elements to make sure they are all in good working order and have not become damaged, which can be reduced by edge protection.
Tractor-Trailer Delivery
Hauling construction materials in a semi-truck with an enclosed trailer is common for any moisture-sensitive items. Tractor-trailers also have the ability to haul large loads of mixed items, bringing an entire stage of construction materials to your site at once, like:
- drywall
- shingles
- flooring
- insulation
But suppliers and delivery specialists should keep a careful eye on their drivers' DOT medical card and ensure that DOT physicals are up to date. Not only is this in the best interest of a driver's health, especially when he or she may be loading and unloading as part of their daily routine, but also because DOT medical card and DOT physical fines can quickly add up and take your drivers out of commission.
Box Truck Delivery
The versatile box truck is the perfect vehicle for delivering smaller-scale construction supplies such as:
- doors
- windows
- finish supplies
Box truck drivers may average a shorter distance, but, according to data from the IIHS, most truck accidents occur on major roads other than interstates and highways, where traffic is moving in multiple directions. To ensure your driver is ready for this task, consider adding MVR monitoring to your compliance toolbox. MVR monitoring goes a step beyond the annual Motor Vehicle Report, and allows your safety leadership to get alerts throughout the year if something changes on any driver's record.
Specialized Trucks
Not every truck is built to do a wide range of jobs. Some delivery vehicles are specialized for one type of material delivery, like:
- water trucks
- cement truck/cement mixers
- mobile cranes
When it comes to trucks that serve a specific purpose, you are typically also hiring a specific type of driver. And just like there is a shortage of some construction materials, there is also a shortage of commercial vehicle drivers. Foley's Dash platform makes the hiring, screening, and onboarding of new drivers easier than ever, while also staying DOT compliant. With job posting tools, mobile applications for drivers, and a proven system that can speed up your time to hire by 400%, Dash is your all-in-one partner for hiring better drivers faster.
Oversized Delivery
We can't forget the super-sized trucks that show off expertise in wide load deliveries, including:
- wind turbines
- other construction vehicles (haul dump trucks, cranes...)
- industrial machinery
With drivers who may have specialized certifications, your company needs to ensure that your driver qualification files are up to date and fully compliant. Paper files or managing driver qualification in an outdated spreadsheet can put your company at risk for a DOT audit or increased CSA score. (Not to mention the increase in off-site audits that require submission of digital files!)
Keep Your Construction Delivery Team On the Road
If your team is ready to level-up your DOT compliance for a construction material delivery fleet, the Foley compliance experts are ready to help you navigate the complex regulations at the federal and state level. Adding a compliance partner as your company grows can help your risk stay low and your drivers stay safe. Schedule a call with Foley to get started.
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