What 387.307 means in plain language
FMCSR 387.307 is a general administrative regulation that governs specific documentation or operational requirements under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations framework. While the exact scope is narrow and highly specific, citations under this code relate to how motor carriers and drivers manage certain compliance records or procedures at the administrative level.
If you've been cited for 387.307, the inspector identified a gap in documentation, record-keeping, or procedural compliance during your roadside inspection. Unlike mechanical or safety-critical violations, this code does not typically involve vehicle condition or driver fitness concerns—it's about having the right paperwork or following the right administrative steps.
The good news: this is correctable. In most cases, a citation under 387.307 can be resolved by gathering the missing documentation, correcting the record, or confirming compliance with your carrier's safety manager.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ inspection records, 387.307 has been cited only 3 times in all-time data, with 0 citations in the last 12 months and 0 in the last 90 days. This makes it one of the rarest violations in the FMCSR universe—ranked #2551 out of 3,036 codes by citation volume.
None of the 3 all-time citations resulted in an out-of-service order. The 0.0% out-of-service rate for 387.307 is significantly lower than the 31.4% average OOS rate across all FMCSR codes. This tells you that inspectors do not treat this code as a safety emergency—it is a documentation or administrative matter, not grounds for immediate vehicle removal from service.
The near-zero enforcement volume in recent months suggests this code is rarely invoked in day-to-day roadside operations, making a citation for it genuinely uncommon.
Who gets cited most
Our inspection records show that J B HUNT TRANSPORT INC (USDOT 80806), U S GLOBAL INC (USDOT 3692443), and GHOTRA XPRESS INC (USDOT 4105601) each had 1 citation for 387.307 in our all-time dataset. The sample size is too small to draw meaningful fleet-level patterns or imply systemic risk at any carrier.
With only 3 citations total and no geographic breakdown meaningful at this volume, there is no evidence of regional concentration or carrier-specific vulnerability. This violation is genuinely scattered across the industry.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the General/Admin category, peer codes like 390.21TB2-DOT (74,663 citations), 390.21T(b) (61,097 citations), and 390.21TB1-MC (59,189 citations) are cited far more frequently. All of these peer codes also carry a 0.0% out-of-service rate, meaning they are treated similarly in enforcement—as administrative or marking issues, not safety defects.
390.21(a) (Vehicle marking requirements), another peer code, has been cited 25,872 times with a 0.0% OOS rate. Like 387.307, it is a documentation or labeling matter. Even codes with marginally higher OOS rates in this category, such as 390.19B2-BIENNIAL at 0.2%, remain far below the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%.
This context confirms that 387.307 sits in a low-enforcement, low-severity corner of the regulatory landscape. It is neither common nor considered a critical defect.
How to avoid it
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Confirm all administrative records are aboard. Before each shift, verify that your driver qualification file, logbooks, inspection records, and any required certifications are current and accessible. Ask your safety manager which specific documents apply to your operation.
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Double-check document completeness at weigh stations. Roadside inspectors often cross-reference paperwork during Level 1 inspections. Make sure nothing is missing, unsigned, or outdated. A few minutes of pre-trip review beats a citation.
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Align with your carrier's compliance checklist. Not all carriers require the same administrative items. Work with your fleet's safety department to understand what 387.307 compliance looks like in your company's procedures—then make it routine.
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Stay organized during vehicle transitions. If you drive different tractors or trailers, ensure that administrative records travel with the vehicle or are correctly updated in your carrier's system. Gaps in continuity can trigger inspector questions.
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Review any prior inspection notes. If your carrier or a previous roadside inspection flagged an administrative issue, resolve it immediately. Repeat findings are taken more seriously.