FMCSR 393.110(b) – Cargo Securement (Logs): Driver FAQ

Almost certainly yes — and the numbers back that up hard. Across 7,390 all-time citations in our inspection records, 393.110(b) carries a 98.3% out-of-service rate, meaning 7,265 of those inspections ended with the vehicle placed OOS. For context, the all-FMCSR average OOS rate is only 31.4%, so this code runs more than three times that average. Even though the regulation is technically marked OOS-eligible no at the code level, the practical enforcement pattern is nearly universal: inspectors who cite unsecured logs almost always park the truck. Do not move the load until the securement deficiency is corrected and the inspector releases the vehicle.

A 393.110(b) citation carries a CSA severity weight of 7 out of a maximum of 10. That base score is then multiplied depending on how recently the violation occurred: the closer to the current date, the higher the time-weight multiplier FMCSA applies (violations in the most recent 6 months are weighted heaviest). The citation lands in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC, which affects both the carrier's Safety Measurement System percentile and, if you're listed as the driver, your own driver profile. A severity-7 finding is a significant hit — higher than a paperwork error but one step below the most critical equipment failures.

Take these steps immediately:

1. Do not move the vehicle until the inspector clears you — with a 98.3% OOS rate on record for this code, assume you are parked until told otherwise.
2. Document everything on-scene: photograph every log, every binder, every chain, and every stake pocket before touching the load.
3. Re-secure the logs to meet the specific requirements of the securement rules — correct number of tiedowns, proper placement, rated capacity.
4. Get the release in writing from the inspector before pulling away.
5. Notify your fleet safety manager immediately so they can log the inspection report and begin a DataQs review if the citation appears inaccurate.
6. Keep your copy of the inspection report — you will need it for any DataQs challenge.

Yes — it stands out sharply even among Vehicle Maintenance violations. Our inspection records show a 98.3% OOS rate for 393.110(b), compared to peer codes in the same category: 393.9(a) (inoperable required lamps) sits at 15.4%, and the broadly cited 396.3(a)(1) general maintenance code is at 45.3%. Even the high-volume codes rarely approach 98%. The code also ranks #274 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by all-time citation volume, which means it is far from obscure. Unsecured logs are treated by inspectors as an immediate safety threat, and the enforcement data confirms that posture.

Yes, you can submit a DataQs Request for Data Review (RDR) to challenge the citation. Because 393.110(b) is an equipment/condition finding — not a missing document — a successful challenge typically requires showing that the securement actually met regulatory requirements at the time of inspection. Strong evidence includes the photographs you took on-scene, a supervisor or co-driver statement, load configuration records, and any equipment inspection logs showing proper binders and tiedowns. If the inspector made a factual error (wrong code, wrong vehicle, load already released), DataQs can get the record corrected or removed. Submit through the FMCSA DataQs portal; the investigating state agency reviews the evidence and issues a determination.

Our inspection database does not break out a ranked top-states list for 393.110(b) specifically in the statistics available for this code, so we won't name states we can't verify. What the data does confirm is that the 7,390 all-time citations are distributed across carriers operating log-hauling routes nationally, with WESTERN EXPRESS INC (52 citations), MERCER TRANSPORTATION CO INC (39 citations), and US LBM LOGISTICS LLC (26 citations) leading all carriers by citation count. If your operation runs timber or log routes, assume enforcement exposure is present in any state where roadside log-hauling is common — not limited to a single region.

The compliance need is permanent and urgent, but enforcement volume has gone quiet in recent data: our records show 0 citations in the last 90 days and 0 in the last 12 months. That recent silence does not mean the violation is no longer enforced — it more likely reflects changes in the carrier mix or inspection focus captured in our database. The historical 98.3% OOS rate means any inspector who cites this code will almost certainly park your truck on the spot. Treat log securement as a pre-trip non-negotiable: an unsecured log load is among the highest-OOS-risk findings in all of FMCSR enforcement history in our records.

It follows both. Under FMCSA's Safety Measurement System, a 393.110(b) violation is recorded against the carrier's USDOT number in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC, affecting the carrier's percentile ranking. The citation is also tied to the driver's record through the inspection report linked to their CDL. Carriers with repeated citations see their BASIC scores climb — our records show WESTERN EXPRESS INC accumulated 52 citations and MERCER TRANSPORTATION CO INC accumulated 39 citations under this code alone, illustrating how fleet-level accumulation becomes a significant CSA exposure. Drivers who are repeatedly named in OOS-level findings can face increased scrutiny during future inspections regardless of which carrier they drive for.