What 392.62C1-PC means in plain language
This citation applies to passenger carriers—typically bus operators—when baggage, cargo, or freight loaded onto a bus is not properly stowed and secured during operation. The regulation exists because unsecured items become projectiles in hard braking, acceleration, or collision. A bag that shifts during a turn, luggage that falls from overhead compartments, or freight that slides across the cargo hold can injure passengers and damage the vehicle.
The violation doesn't require that cargo actually shifted or caused harm. Inspectors cite this code when they observe during a roadside inspection that baggage or freight placement violates proper securing standards—whether that means items aren't tied down, compartment doors are insecure, or freight is stacked in a way that violates weight distribution or blocking passenger egress paths.
What our enforcement data actually shows
This is an extremely rare citation in our 13 million+ inspection database. Across all time, we've recorded only 4 citations for 392.62C1-PC, with 3 in the last 12 months and 1 in the last 90 days. None of these citations resulted in an out-of-service (OOS) order—the OOS rate stands at 0.0%. This contrasts sharply with the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%, indicating that inspectors view improper cargo securing as a non-critical defect in the passenger carrier context, or that it occurs very infrequently in practice.
Ranked #2480 of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, 392.62C1-PC is statistically negligible in the enforcement landscape. The low citation count means you're unlikely to encounter this violation unless your operation has genuinely lax cargo-handling practices or you operate in a jurisdiction with particularly thorough passenger-carrier inspections.
Who gets cited most
Our inspection records show citations in three states over the last 180 days: Indiana (1 citation, 0.0% OOS rate), Pennsylvania (1 citation, 0.0% OOS rate), and one unspecified U.S. location (1 citation, 0.0% OOS rate). All citations resulted in non-OOS findings, so there is no meaningful OOS rate variation to report.
Historically, our data shows carriers such as Bloomington Shuttle Service Inc., Transportes Chayo Inc., Mahanoy Area School District, and Fillmore Area Transit Corporation each received one citation. This spread across distinct carriers suggests the violation is not endemic to any particular operator or business model—it appears situational rather than systemic.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
392.62C1-PC falls into the Unsafe Driving category. By contrast, the dominant peer codes in that category are variants of 392.2 (Operating a CMV while ill or fatigued), which have garnered over 1.2 million citations with OOS rates ranging from 0.1% to 2.4%. For example, 392.2 alone accounts for 1,208,164 citations with a 0.8% OOS rate. Your 392.62C1-PC citation exists on a completely different enforcement scale—it's roughly 300,000 times less frequent than the baseline operating-while-ill violation. This disparity reflects both the specificity of the passenger-carrier baggage rule and the low frequency of roadside cargo-security audits for buses.
How to avoid it
-
Conduct a pre-trip cargo walk-through. Before passengers board, visually inspect all baggage compartments and overhead bins. Ensure items are stowed flush against walls or secured with netting, straps, or bins. Verify that nothing protrudes into aisles or blocks emergency exits.
-
Train loading personnel on weight distribution. Heavier bags belong low and toward the center; lighter items on top. Uneven loading stresses suspension and can cause cargo to shift. If you operate vehicles such as Ford-brand buses (which account for 2 of the 4 historical citations), pay particular attention to load-balance limits in the manufacturer's documentation.
-
Use tie-downs and cargo nets consistently. Don't rely on compartment doors alone. Invest in adjustable cargo nets, E-track systems, or ratchet straps rated for your expected loads. Make it policy, not a judgment call at load time.
-
Document your cargo-securing procedure in writing. Create a simple checklist that drivers and loaders initial before departure. This demonstrates due diligence if you're ever inspected and provides training reinforcement for new staff.
-
Respond immediately if an inspector flags loose baggage. If a roadside inspector opens a compartment and finds unsecured items, don't argue the safety rationale. Secure the load on the spot, accept the citation if issued, and then review your loading process to identify where the procedure failed. A 0.0% OOS rate suggests inspectors view this as correctable and not a vehicle-disabling offense.