What 393.110B2II-C means in plain language
This citation means an inspector found that logs in your cargo were not secured according to federal requirements. Logs are heavy, dense cargo that shift easily during braking, turns, and acceleration—and when they shift, they can damage your truck, injure someone, or spill into traffic.
The regulation requires logs to be fastened down with tiedowns, restraints, or other securement devices that meet specific standards for working load limits and spacing. If an inspector pulled open your trailer and found logs that could move freely, weren't held in place by proper equipment, or had damaged restraints, you'll be cited under this code.
This is different from a generic cargo securement problem. This code specifically flags logs—one of the highest-risk load types on the road.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Our inspection records show this is one of the strictest enforcement codes in the federal motor carrier system. Across 13 million inspections in our database, we see a 99.5% out-of-service rate for 393.110B2II-C—meaning inspectors placed the vehicle out of service in 1,504 out of 1,511 all-time citations. The all-FMCSR average OOS rate is just 31.4%, so this code is enforced at roughly 3.2 times the typical rate.
In the last 90 days alone, we recorded 204 citations. Over the last 12 months, that total is 938 citations. The monthly trend shows steady enforcement: May through March averaged around 80–95 citations per month, with a sharp drop in April (only 7 citations, likely due to the snapshot date of April 20).
Nationally, 393.110B2II-C ranks 602nd out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. That's middle-of-the-pack frequency, but the out-of-service rate is extreme. Once cited, you're almost certain to be pulled from service.
Who gets cited most
Our data shows the top three states for this violation over the last 180 days are California (81 citations), New York (35 citations), and Washington (29 citations).
In California, the OOS rate is 98.8%—slightly lower than the national 99.5%, but still near-universal. New York and Washington both sit at a perfect 100% OOS rate, meaning every single citation in those states resulted in an out-of-service order.
Across all top-cited states—including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tennessee, Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, and Florida—OOS rates cluster at 99–100%. There's virtually no variation; if you're cited for this code anywhere, you're going down.
Fleets such as Western Express Inc have received 16 citations for this violation historically, and Patrick Industries has received 9 citations. This isn't an indictment of those carriers, but rather a reflection of the scale of their operations and log-hauling exposure.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the vehicle maintenance category, 393.110B2II-C sits in extreme territory. Compare it to peer codes:
- 393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps: 660,737 citations but only a 15.4% OOS rate. You're 90 times more likely to be cited for broken lamps, but far less likely to be placed out of service.
- 396.3(a)(1) — Inspection/repair/maintenance (general): 236,919 citations with a 45.3% OOS rate. More than 150 times more common than 393.110B2II-C, but less than half as likely to result in OOS.
- 396.17C-PI — No proof of periodic inspection: 212,081 citations but 0.0% OOS rate. You might be cited, but almost never taken out of service.
This code is a low-volume, high-consequence violation. Inspectors treat log-securement failures as genuine safety threats, not paperwork problems.
How to avoid it
Derived from our co-occurring violations and cited vehicle makes, here's how to stay compliant:
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Walk your entire load before departure. Manually tug every tiedown, ratchet strap, and chain securing the logs. Our data shows 27 co-occurring citations for damaged tiedowns (393.104B-C) in the last 90 days—meaning poor pre-trip inspection leads to compound violations. Don't assume equipment from your last run is still sound.
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Replace damaged or worn restraints immediately. If a strap is frayed, a ratchet won't engage fully, or a chain has rust or bent links, replace it before you load. A damaged tiedown will fail under road stress, and inspectors test for this at roadside.
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Space tiedowns correctly along the load. Don't cluster all restraints at the front or back. Federal rules specify spacing and working load limits. If you're unfamiliar with the exact requirements, ask your dispatcher or fleet safety manager for a diagram before you haul logs.
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Check that every tiedown is rated for your load weight. Logs are dense and heavy. A tiedown rated for 5,000 lbs working load isn't adequate if your load section weighs 7,000 lbs. Verify load weight and tiedown capacity before securing.
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Secure the entire length of the load. Logs must be restrained at regular intervals, not just at the ends. Inspectors will check the middle third of your trailer as carefully as the front.
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Document your securement. Take photos of your tiedowns before leaving the yard. If you're cited and the restraints appear undamaged in the photo, you have evidence the load was properly secured at departure—useful if shifting occurred en route.
Our inspection data shows that drivers hauling Freightliner (197 citations), Ford (184 citations), and Peterbilt (111 citations) trucks are most frequently cited for this violation. This likely reflects those models' popularity in hauling work, not inherent deficiency—but if you operate one of these platforms, maintain extra diligence on cargo restraint systems and tiedown attachment points specific to your truck.