WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently announced a series of amendments to the U.S. Cargo Securement Regulations as to further harmonize them to the North American Cargo Securement Standard Model.

The amendments, effective July 24, 2006, make the rules more consistent with Canadian interpretations in some areas but also create some new differences between the U.S. and Canadian regulations.

The FMCSA published the final rule this month after series of public meetings involving U.S. and Canadian industry experts, federal, state and provincial enforcement officials, including the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, and the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

Amendments include clarifications to securing
lumber, metal coils, intermodal containers and more

The changes cover a wide variety of topics and revisions, mainly to the language of the regulations. They include:

Manufacturing standards for tiedowns, and cargo securement requirements for dressed lumber, metal coils, paper rolls, intermodal containers and flattened cars; elimination of the requirement to route tiedowns inboard of rub rails on flatbeds; Clarification as to the criteria under which secured cargo is considered to meet the performance requirements of the rules; clarification of requirements for securing cargo in sided vehicles; and adoption of separate performance criteria for breaking strength and working load limits.

For example, when it comes to rub rails, the US standard stating it’s acceptable to attach tiedowns to rub rails appears to be in conflict with requirements for anchor point and the ”North American Cargo Securement Standard Model Regulation.” The model regulation defines a rub rail as a rail along the side of a vehicle that protects the sides of the vehicle from impacts, and rub rails are not normally rated.

CCMTA pointed out the compliance and enforcement difficulties, which have arisen with the inclusion of the term ”whenever practicable” with respect to placement of tiedowns inboard of rub rails. CCMTA proposed that this requirement be phased in over a longer period to allow industry to make adjustments in both the training programs and equipment.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance is currently working on clarifying FMCSA’s enforcement policy. The group is in the process of figuring out if there will be period of educational enforcement to allow carriers to adjust.

To read all the amendments to the FMCSA’s cargo securement rule, follow the link below: