RULES of the ROAD: FootNotes:
Litigation stratigies and tips to win a commercial motor vehicle, dump truck, bus or other truck crash case resulting in serious personal injury or death.
(1.) 42 U.S.C. §§101-112 (1994).
(2.) As of 1995, there were 6,881,074 "large trucks" registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation or its state counterpart. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN., TRAFFIC SAFETY FACTS 1996, LARGE TRUCKS (1997). Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations define commercial motor vehicles (large trucks) to include trucks of 10,001 or more pounds. 49 C.F.R. §390.5 (2)(iii)(2) (1996).
(3.) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN., supra note 2.
(4.) INSURANCE INST. FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY, LARGE TRUCK FATALITY FACTS 1 (1997).
(5.) 40 U.S.C. §§1-27, 301-327 (1994).
(6.) 49 C.F.R. §301-399. A copy of the FMCSR Handbook for operators of commercial motor vehicles may be obtained for a nominal fee from the American Trucking Associations, 2200 Mill Rd., Alexandria, VA 22314-4677. The FMCSR is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
(7.) 49 C.F.R. § 383.1(a); see also NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN., HIGHWAY SAFETY DESK BOOK, introduction (1996).
(8.) Id. §§390.1,390.3(e). American Trucking Associations, FMCSR Handbook, Receipt ("This receipt is to be read and signed by the driver. It should then be countersigned by the motor carrier representative and placed in the driver's qualification file"); see also Smith v. Tommy Roberts Trucking Co., 435 S.E.2d 54 (Ga. Ct. App. 1993).
(9.) Hageman v. TSI, Inc., 786 P.2d 452,454 (Colo. Ct. App. 1989); see also Inland Steel v. Pequignot, 608 N.E.2d 1378, 1383 (Ind. Ct. App. 1993).
(10.) The policy of the Federal Highway Administration "is to encourage each state to enforce uniform motor carrier safety and hazardous materials regulations for both interstate and intrastate motor carriers and drivers. The requirements for compliance with safety standards in one state should be compatible with the requirements in another state." 49 C.F.R. §350.5.
(11.) The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1997 amended 49 U.S.C. §31138(g) to $5 million for the transportation of petroleum products classified as hazardous material in cargo tanks, portable tanks, or hopper-type vehicles with capacities of over 3,500 water gallons.
(12.) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN., supra note 7. To obtain a copy of a motor carrier profile, contact Computing Technologies, P.O. Box 3248, Merrifield, VA 22116-3248, tel. (703) 280-4001. The cost of the profile is $27.50.
(13.) 49 C.F.R. § 391.11.
(14.) Id. §§391.41(2)-391.49.
(15.) Id. §391.21.
(16.) Id. §391.31.
(17.) Zamalloa v. Hart, 31 F.3d 911 (9th Cir. 1994); Harmon v. Grande Tire Co., 821 F.2d 252 (5th Cir. 1987); see also J.R. Mabbett & Son, Inc. v. Ripley, 365 S.E.2d 155 (Ga. Ct. App. 1988); Pequignot, 608 N.E.2d 1378; Stong v. Freeman Truck Line, Inc., 456 So. 2d 698 (Miss. 1984).
(18.) 49 C.F.R. §391.23.
(19.) Id. §391.25.
(20.) See id. §§385.5, 390.11, 390.13, and 395.3.
(21.) Id. §§390.13, 392.6.
(22.) Id. §§393.1, 396.9, 396.11.
(23.) Id. §390.3(e)(2).
(24.) Id. §392.2.
(25.) Id. §392.3.
(26.) Id. §391.27.
(27.) Id. §§1057.1-1057.42. A verbal lease may also be binding. See Zamalloa, 31 F.3d 911, 917. See generally DAVID N. NISSENBERG, THE LAW OF COMMERCIAL TRUCKING § 7-16(e) (1994 & Supp. 1997).
(28.) Rediehs Express, Inc. v. Maple, 491 N.E.2d 1006, 1011-12 (Ind. Ct. App. 1986).
(29.) See 49 C.F.R. § 392.9.
(30.) Hutcherson v. Progressive Corp., 984 F.2d 1152, 1156 (11th Cir. 1993).
(31.) 49 C.F.R. §395.8(i).
(32.) Id. §395.8(k).
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