FMCSR 382.601 – Employer Educational Materials Not Provided

No. Our inspection records show a 0.0% out-of-service rate for 382.601 citations. This violation is not OOS-eligible, meaning inspectors cannot place your truck out of service on the spot. However, this is a Controlled Substances/Alcohol category violation, and your carrier must take corrective action to avoid future enforcement.

This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 2, which means it will add points to your carrier's BASIC 4 (Controlled Substances/Alcohol) category. The exact point calculation depends on the 30-day window: if multiple violations occur within 30 days, points multiply. One citation will add 2 base points to your carrier's score, which affects their Safety Management Cycle rating.

First: confirm the citation details and ask your safety manager to review it. Second: your carrier should ensure all drivers receive the required controlled substance and alcohol education materials—this is the core compliance issue. Third: document that this training has been provided to all drivers and keep records on file. Fourth: request your carrier contact FMCSA if they believe the citation is in error through the DataQs challenge process.

382.601 is an administrative/documentation violation, not a driver conduct violation. Compare it to actual substance use citations: 392.4 (Use of drugs) has a 96.9% out-of-service rate across 3,919 citations in our database, and 392.5(a)(2) (BAC 0.04+) shows a 99.2% OOS rate. These are far more severe. Your 382.601 citation is about carrier-level training failure, not driver misconduct.

Yes, your carrier can challenge this citation through the DataQs Roadside Data Review (RDR) process. Since 382.601 is a documentation-based violation (proof of educational materials provided), the challenge will hinge on whether your carrier can submit records showing that compliant training materials were distributed to drivers before the inspection date. Gather all training logs, acknowledgment forms, and dates of distribution.

Our 13 million+ inspection records show no citations for 382.601 in the last 12 months, and zero citations across our entire database. This means it is rarely cited in roadside enforcement. If your carrier received one, it is an outlier finding and should be reviewed carefully to ensure the citation is accurate and that the required materials are now in place.

Low immediate urgency for out-of-service risk, but high urgency for compliance. Since 382.601 carries no OOS rate, your truck will not be pulled off the road. However, your carrier must remedy the underlying issue: ensure all drivers receive and acknowledge controlled substance and alcohol education materials. Failing to correct this puts the carrier at risk during future safety audits and investigations.

This violation follows the carrier, not the driver. It is a motor carrier safety management violation—the employer is responsible for providing educational materials to all drivers. The citation appears in your carrier's CSA BASIC 4 (Controlled Substances/Alcohol) category, affecting their safety rating and audit scoring. As a driver, you are not personally liable, but your carrier's violation may trigger closer scrutiny of your company.