Will 177.840 put your truck out of service? What CSA points does it cost? Direct answers backed by 13M+ inspection records.
Ranks #1,726 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 71.8% is above the FMCSR-wide average of 33.3%.
CMV transporting hazardous materials does not have required emergency response information.
Direct answers grounded in TruckCodex inspection data
Yes—there's a 71.8% chance you'll be placed out of service if cited for this violation. Across our inspection records, 28 out of 39 all-time citations for 177.840 resulted in an immediate OOS order. This is significantly higher than the average FMCSR code, which has a 31.4% OOS rate. When an inspector finds that your hazmat vehicle lacks required emergency response information, the violation is treated as an immediate safety risk.
This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 6 points. In the BASIC 6 hazardous materials category, these points factor into your carrier's CSA score. The 30-day multiplier effect means repeated citations compound quickly. If you've been cited, check your CSA profile immediately to see the full point load and any trend across your history. One citation of this type is manageable; patterns trigger interventions.
Yes. While 177.840 is ranked #1701 out of 3,036 total FMCSR codes by citation volume, its 71.8% OOS rate puts it in serious territory. Compare this to peer hazmat codes: general loading/unloading violations (177.834A) hit 99.2% OOS rates, and placarding violations (177.817a) reach 75.1%. But codes like 172.602(c)(1)—which covers emergency response information maintenance—has a 0.0% OOS rate. The difference: your truck was actively running with missing information, not just poorly maintained documentation.
You can file a DataQs challenge if you believe the citation is factually inaccurate. For 177.840, this typically means: you had the required emergency response information in the vehicle, but the inspector missed or misread it. Document any evidence (photos, printouts, driver logs from that date) showing the information was present. If the violation is based on the inspector's observation that information was genuinely absent, a DataQs challenge is unlikely to succeed—the finding is straightforward. Focus on disputing only if you can prove the emergency response materials were actually on board.
It's rare. Our inspection database shows zero citations for 177.840 in the last 90 days and zero in the last 12 months, despite 39 all-time citations. This suggests the violation was more common in the past and is now declining—either because carriers improved hazmat packaging practices, or inspectors are focusing enforcement elsewhere. The rarity doesn't make it less serious if you're caught; the 71.8% OOS rate means inspectors treat it as critical when they do find it.
Southeastern Freight Lines Inc (USDOT 63419) and Redline Courier Express Inc (USDOT 809056) each account for 2 citations across all records. Kenworth (KW) trucks are the top vehicle make cited, with 6 citations, followed by Freightliner (FRHT) at 4 citations. None of these numbers indicate a systemic problem at any single carrier—the violations are distributed across many operators. This is a sporadic violation, not a carrier-specific or vehicle-specific trend.
Hazmat violations fall under the BASIC 6 category, which is a carrier-level safety metric. The citation affects your company's CSA score and safety record, not your individual driver record (though your carrier may track it on your personnel file). This means a single citation can influence your carrier's hiring, insurance, and DOT compliance status. If you're an owner-operator, the violation directly impacts your own CSA profile. Report it to your safety manager or authority holder immediately so they can address it systematically.
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Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
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