When you travel on an interstate highway, you have indeed seen heavy-duty trucks, probably shipping for a renowned brand or company. These vehicles are part of a commercial fleet.
This article is for anyone curious about interstate fleet services or a business owner looking to partner with an interstate freight provider.
You will find information such as basic rules for interstate shipping. Learn how many hours drivers work, how to manage a commercial fleet, and more here.
What Are Interstate Fleet Services?
First, what are we talking about when we say interstate fleet services? Let’s decompose the name. Commercial fleets are groups of vehicles owned or leased by an organization for business purposes. Each of these is called a fleet vehicle.
What is interstate transportation? It consists of delivering persons, goods, or services from one point to another, crossing state lines. This procedure could be inside the United States or outside the nation.
Types of Commercial Transportation Fleets
There are several types of fleet vehicles, from small cars to 18-wheeler trucks, including all in the middle, such as vans.
Car rental and taxi cabs are types of fleets for commercial purposes. Van fleets usually handle regional shipping, that is delivering packages locally. Public utility companies also have fleets to provide repairs and maintenance services.
Some companies own a fleet that consist on multiple types of fleet vehicles to achieve business goals.
This blog will focus on truck fleets that take part on cargo transportation nationwide or locally. There are two types of operation for these truck fleets: interstate and intrastate.
Interstate and Intrastate Fleet Operations Rules
There are several rules and regulations applied to cargo transportation companies. Operating a commercial motor vehicle requires the operator to comply with federal laws, rules, regulations, and agencies.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates motor carriers involved in interstate commerce. Using any vehicle on a highway for interstate commerce with a maximum total combined weight of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds.) or more is a Commercial Motor Vehicle by the FMCSA.
Businesses that operate buses or trucks for interstate or international commerce must also obey the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement (UCR). This obligation also involves submitting annual fees based on fleet size.
What Is Considered Interstate Commerce?
It may seem obvious what interstate transportation is. However, there are some situations where it could be confusing.
When a vehicle transports goods transiting state lines is interstate transportation, and therefore it has to comply with interstate regulations. But it’s not only the route that determines whether the laws are applicable or not. The origin of the load also determines which rule is applicable.
Let’s say you drive a fleet truck, and you are picking a load from a port. Your job will be moving it from this place to another point in the same state without driving on an interstate highway.
However, the load transportation originated outside the current state, and after you leave it in the scheduled place, it will continue its way.
It is also interstate transportation if the fleet vehicle transports goods from one location in the same state to another as part of commerce, traffic, or transportation originating in another state or outside the United States.
Another situation that’s still considered interstate commerce is when you have to transport goods between two spots in the same state, but you cross another state on your way.
You do not have to register the entire commercial fleet under interstate rules if only a part of it is involved in interstate commerce. Part of the fleet can be under intrastate regulations.
How to Properly Manage an Efficient Fleet
Keeping a fleet under control requires a lot of work, especially for 18-wheelers transporting loads from one state to another.
Fleet management and logistics involve every type of action developed to ensure a fleet is running efficiently. It also ensures arriving on time, within a budget, and complying with safety and regulations laws.
This management actions involve:
- Vehicle acquisition
- Vehicle condition and truck repair
- Tracking
- Driver safety and proper training
- Plan efficient routes
- Fuel efficiency program to combat fluctuating fuel prices
- Safety and regulatory compliance
Regarding regulatory compliance, the fleet manager has to be aware of the interstate and intrastate regulations. Likewise, it must know the annual fees for the Unified Carrier Registration.
In addition, it should ensure that all the drivers have the proper licenses and qualifications for the job. Likewise, they have to respect the maximum number of hours each driver can work. Interstate fleet companies need to develop a training program if reported aggressive driving.
Ultimately, efficient fleets are cost-effective fleets. As a result, the fleet company will be able to partner with other companies to achieve its goals.
What to Look for When Selecting an Interstate Fleet Services Provider
If you want to partner with a business that owns a commercial fleet for interstate operations, you must know everything already stated above.
It is vital to choose a company or organization with the legal authority to engage in interstate commerce. That means having their fleet under proper registration and therefore complying with the applicable laws and regulations.
Another critical factor is to partner with a company with proper management procedures to ensure an efficient fleet. These procedures include planning, driver training, tracking, and many more.
Trust Our Reliable Fleet Service Providers
You can ask our experts for more information surrounding interstate fleet and motor carrier services.
For reliable shipping of your goods, partner with a top-notch and well-known interstate trucking company, such as KE Interstate Transport.
We count on licensed and experienced drivers and a top-maintained and equipped truck fleet to deliver the best services across 48 states, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Plus, you could rest assured knowing that we comply with our fleet’s federal regulations and laws to perform our work legally.
Our team of experts will ensure a safe handling of any shipment. Additionally, it will arrive on time, and within your budget from Texas to anywhere in the US.
Call us to get more information about our services!