§FMCSR.com
Historical textIn force on Oct. 1, 2000Source: annual CFR editions 1998–2000

§ 385.3 Definitions.

Wording in the annual edition revised as of Oct. 1, 1998, superseded by the 2001 annual edition.

govinfo, 2000 edition ↗
Before Jan. 1, 2017 the record is one snapshot per annual CFR edition, revised as of October 1. This is the 2000 edition's wording. An amendment that took effect between Oct. 1, 2000 and Oct. 1, 2000 would not appear until the next edition, so check the citations below and the Federal Register for exact effective dates.
49 CFR § 385.3 — Definitions.. Text in force on October 1, 2000. This wording effective October 1, 1998 to October 1, 2001. Source: govinfo, 2000 edition, https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2000-title49-vol4/CFR-2000-title49-vol4-sec385-3. Retrieved from FMCSR.com, https://fmcsr.com/reg/385.3?asof=2000-10-01, on October 26, 2026. Unofficial compilation; verify against the official source.

Applicable safety regulations or requirements means 49 CFR subtitle B, chapter III, Subchapter B—Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations; and 49 CFR subtitle B, chapter I, Subchapter C—Hazardous Materials Regulations.

Commercial motor vehicle shall have the same meaning as described in § 390.5 of this subchapter.

Preventable accident on the part of a motor carrier means an accident (1) that involved a commercial motor vehicle, and (2) that could have been averted but for an act, or failure to act, by the motor carrier or the driver.

Reviews. For the purposes of this part:

(1) Compliance review means an on-site examination of motor carrier operations, such as drivers’ hours of service, maintenance and inspection, driver qualification, commercial drivers license requirements, financial responsibility, accidents, hazardous materials, and other safety and transportation records to determine whether a motor carrier meets the safety fitness standard. A compliance review may be conducted in response to a request to change a safety rating, to investigate potential violations of safety regulations by motor carriers, or to investigate complaints or other evidence of safety violations. The compliance review may result in the initiation of an enforcement action.

(2) [Reserved]

(3) Safety management controls means the systems, policies programs, practices, and procedures used by a motor carrier to ensure compliance with applicable safety and hazardous materials regulations which ensure the safe movement of products and passengers through the transportation system, and to reduce the risk of highway accidents and hazardous materials incidents resulting in fatalities, injuries, and property damage.

Safety ratings: (1) Satisfactory safety rating means that a motor carrier has in place and functioning adequate safety management controls to meet the safety fitness standard prescribed in § 385.5. Safety management controls are adequate if they are appropriate for the size and type of operation of the particular motor carrier.

(2) Conditional safety rating means a motor carrier does not have adequate safety management controls in place to ensure compliance with the safety fitness standard that could result in occurrences listed in § 385.5 (a) through (k).

(3) Unsatisfactory safety rating means a motor carrier does not have adequate safety management controls in place to ensure compliance with the safety fitness standard which has resulted in occurrences listed in § 385.5 (a) through (k).

(4) Unrated carrier means that a safety rating has not been assigned to the motor carrier by the FHWA.

[53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997]

Amendment history

14 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1996
  1. Sept. 29, 2022 → presenteCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004; 72 FR 36788, July 5, 2007; 73 FR 76818, Dec. 17, 2008; 75 FR 17240, Apr. 5, 2010; 77 FR 28450, May 14, 2012; 78 FR 58481, Sept. 24, 2013; 78 FR 60232, Oct. 1, 2013; 80 FR 59073, Oct. 1, 2015; 86 FR 35642, July 7, 2021; 87 FR 59036, Sept. 29, 2022]
  2. July 7, 2021 → Sept. 29, 2022eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004; 72 FR 36788, July 5, 2007; 73 FR 76818, Dec. 17, 2008; 75 FR 17240, Apr. 5, 2010; 77 FR 28450, May 14, 2012; 78 FR 58481, Sept. 24, 2013; 78 FR 60232, Oct. 1, 2013; 80 FR 59073, Oct. 1, 2015; 86 FR 35642, July 7, 2021]
  3. Oct. 1, 2015 → July 7, 2021annual editions 2015–2016diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004; 72 FR 36788, July 5, 2007; 73 FR 76818, Dec. 17, 2008; 75 FR 17240, Apr. 5, 2010; 77 FR 28450, May 14, 2012; 78 FR 58481, Sept. 24, 2013; 78 FR 60232, Oct. 1, 2013; 80 FR 59073, Oct. 1, 2015]
  4. Oct. 1, 2013 → Oct. 1, 2015annual editions 2013–2014diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004; 72 FR 36788, July 5, 2007; 73 FR 76818, Dec. 17, 2008; 75 FR 17240, Apr. 5, 2010; 77 FR 28450, May 14, 2012; 78 FR 58481, Sept. 24, 2013; 78 FR 60232, Oct. 1, 2013]
  5. Oct. 1, 2012 → Oct. 1, 2013annual edition 2012diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004; 72 FR 36788, July 5, 2007; 73 FR 76818, Dec. 17, 2008; 75 FR 17240, Apr. 5, 2010; 77 FR 28450, May 14, 2012]
  6. Oct. 1, 2010 → Oct. 1, 2012annual editions 2010–2011diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004; 72 FR 36788, July 5, 2007; 73 FR 76818, Dec. 17, 2008; 75 FR 17240, Apr. 5, 2010]
  7. Oct. 1, 2009 → Oct. 1, 2010annual edition 2009diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004; 72 FR 36788, July 5, 2007; 73 FR 76818, Dec. 17, 2008]
  8. Oct. 1, 2007 → Oct. 1, 2009annual editions 2007–2008diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004; 72 FR 36788, July 5, 2007]
  9. Oct. 1, 2004 → Oct. 1, 2007annual editions 2004–2006diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002; 69 FR 39367, June 30, 2004]
  10. Oct. 1, 2003 → Oct. 1, 2004annual edition 2003diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002; 67 FR 31983, May 13, 2002]
  11. Oct. 1, 2002 → Oct. 1, 2003annual edition 2002diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997; 67 FR 12779, Mar. 19, 2002]
  12. Oct. 1, 2001 → Oct. 1, 2002annual edition 2001diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997]
  13. Oct. 1, 1998 → Oct. 1, 2001annual editions 1998–2000diff vs. previousviewing
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991; 62 FR 60042, Nov. 6, 1997]
  14. Oct. 1, 1996 → Oct. 1, 1998annual edition 1996
    [53 FR 50968, Dec. 19, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40805, Aug. 16, 1991]

A new entry appears whenever the regulatory words change between government snapshots. Day-precise from the eCFR (2017 onward); before that, one snapshot per annual CFR edition (revised as of October 1). Bracketed citations are the Federal Register history printed with the section.