What 393.116(c) means in plain language
FMCSR 393.116(c) is about one critical job: making sure intermodal containers are properly secured to the chassis or platform they're sitting on. When you're hauling an intermodal box—whether it's a 20- or 40-foot unit—the federal regulation demands that the container be mechanically fastened in a way that prevents it from shifting, tipping, or falling during transport.
This isn't about how the freight inside the container is packed. It's about the container itself and its attachment points to your vehicle. Improper securement means the container could move laterally, longitudinally, or vertically on the chassis. This is a structural and safety issue: a loose container creates risk not just for you, but for every vehicle around you on the road.
When an inspector finds that your container isn't properly secured to the chassis—missing or damaged twist locks, bent corner castings, loose platform straps, or similar fastening failures—they will cite you under this code.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across 13 million inspection records in our database, 393.116(c) is rarely cited. Our data shows 10 all-time citations for this violation, with 0 citations in the last 12 months and 0 in the last 90 days. This code ranks #2191 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume.
What makes this violation notable is its severity pattern. When it is cited, the enforcement response is decisive: all 10 citations on record resulted in out-of-service placement, yielding a 100% OOS rate. By comparison, the all-FMCSR average OOS rate is 31.4%. This 68.6 percentage-point gap tells you that inspectors treat container securement failures as safety-critical defects that cannot be ignored or deferred.
No citations have been issued in the most recent 90-day period in our database, suggesting that either carriers have improved compliance, or the violation is infrequent under current inspection patterns.
Who gets cited most
Because this code has only 10 all-time citations spread across our 13 million records, no single state or carrier dominates the data. Our inspection records show carriers such as Justus Trucking Inc with 1 citation and F & F Firewood LLC with 1 citation, among others. Each of the top carriers listed has a single citation, reflecting the rarity of this violation.
The low volume means state-by-state or fleet-by-fleet comparisons are not statistically meaningful. What is consistent across all citations: when cited, the vehicle was placed out of service. This uniformity across all cases—regardless of carrier size or vehicle type—underscores that regulators view this as a non-negotiable safety defect.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
In the Vehicle Maintenance category, container securement violations stand apart in enforcement intensity. Consider these peer codes:
393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps has 660,737 citations with a 15.4% OOS rate. That's roughly 66,000 times more citations than 393.116(c), but only one-sixth the OOS rate.
396.3(a)(1) — Inspection/repair/maintenance general has 236,919 citations with a 45.3% OOS rate. While more frequently cited than 393.116(c), it results in out-of-service placement in fewer than half of cases.
396.17(c) — No proof of periodic inspection has 198,331 citations but a 0% OOS rate—these are documentary violations that typically don't immediately ground a truck.
The contrast is stark: 393.116(c) is cited very rarely (10 times in our entire 13-million-record database), but when it is cited, the vehicle is removed from service without exception. This suggests inspectors reserve this citation for unambiguous, dangerous securement failures—not borderline or marginal cases.
How to avoid it
Container securement is fundamentally a pre-trip and load-out responsibility. Here are concrete steps to stay compliant:
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Inspect twist locks and corner casting connections before departure. Walk around the container and physically verify that all four corner twist locks are engaged and tight. Listen for clicks or feel resistance as you manually test each one. Do not assume they engaged automatically.
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Check the chassis or platform for visible damage or wear. Look for bent or cracked welds around the corner casting pockets. If the receiving points are damaged, the fasteners cannot hold the container securely. Report damage immediately and do not accept the load until it's repaired.
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Verify platform straps, chains, or other lateral-restraint devices are present and taut. If your chassis uses additional straps or chains to prevent side-to-side movement, ensure they are not loose, corroded, or missing. A pre-trip inspection should include physically checking tension.
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Document your pre-trip inspection. Note the date, time, and condition of all securement points. This record protects you if a defect develops during transit and an inspector encounters it later.
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Do not move a container you suspect is loose. If during your pre-trip or during a stop you notice a twist lock is not fully engaged, a corner casting is bent, or a strap is slack, stop immediately and correct it. Moving with a known defect elevates risk and liability.
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Communicate with your dispatcher or the intermodal facility if equipment is defective. If the chassis has a broken corner casting or a twist lock that won't stay engaged, it's a safety and compliance issue, not a minor inconvenience. Secure a different chassis rather than gamble with an unsafe load.
The 100% out-of-service rate we see in our data is not a statistical anomaly—it reflects the fact that when a container is genuinely loose on its chassis, the vehicle is unsafe for operation and must be removed from service until the defect is corrected.