393.116(d) Cargo Securement — Intermodal Containers Q&A

Yes. Across our 13 million inspection records, every single 393.116(d) citation resulted in an out-of-service order—a 100.0% OOS rate. This is far steeper than the 31.4% average across all FMCSR violations. When an inspector finds an intermodal container not properly secured to your chassis or platform, you cannot legally operate that vehicle until the load is corrected and re-secured.

This violation carries a severity weight of 7 CSA points. The actual impact on your Safety Fitness Determination depends on how many other violations appear in the same 30-day window. If this is an isolated citation, 7 points is assessed once. However, multiple citations within 30 days stack, so if you're cited for cargo securement issues on two separate inspections in one month, the points accumulate. Focus on the immediate fix: secure the load before moving the vehicle.

1. Stop immediately. Your truck is out of service and cannot move until corrected. 2. Inspect the container. Verify it's properly latched and secured to all attachment points on the chassis. 3. Document the fix. Take photos showing the container is now secured and note the time. 4. Request re-inspection. Flag down the inspector or contact your roadside assistance to document the correction. 5. Report to your carrier. Provide them with the citation and photos so they understand what happened and can adjust your load securement procedures.

Yes. Our data shows 393.116(d) has a 100.0% out-of-service rate, compared to the 31.4% average across all FMCSR codes. For perspective, inoperable lamps (393.9) have a 6.9% OOS rate, and lighting/reflector defects (393.11) sit at 1.8%. Even strict maintenance violations like windshield defects (393.78) are pulled from service only 0.3% of the time. Cargo securement—especially for intermodal containers—is treated as a safety-critical defect every single time.

Yes, you can challenge any FMCSA citation through the DataQs (FMCSA Safety Management System) process. A 393.116(d) finding is an equipment/load condition observation, so contestability depends on whether the inspector's judgment was accurate. You'll need clear evidence—photos, maintenance records, or witness statements—showing the container was properly secured at the time of inspection. File your challenge within the DataQs window (typically through your carrier's safety department) and reference the specific attachment points and securement method you used.

Extremely rare. Across our 13 million inspections, we have only 4 total citations for 393.116(d) in our database—zero in the last 90 days and zero in the last 12 months. This code ranks #2480 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. While the rarity might seem reassuring, the 100.0% OOS rate shows that when inspectors do cite it, they view it as a showstopper. The violation is uncommon because most carriers and drivers understand that loose intermodal containers are non-negotiable safety hazards.

Immediate. You cannot move the vehicle at all until the container is resecured. The 100.0% out-of-service rate means every citation results in roadside enforcement—no exceptions. Unlike minor defects that might earn a warning or a grace period, cargo securement failures are treated as critical safety violations. The urgency is also underscored by the zero citations in the last 90 days in our database, which suggests inspectors cite this only when the hazard is genuinely unsafe and undeniable. Get the load fixed on the spot or arrange for corrective action before your truck moves again.

Both. The citation is recorded against your carrier's USDOT number in the Safety Management System and appears on their regulatory profile. It also becomes part of your own roadside inspection history if you were driving. Under FMCSA's Safety BASICs framework, cargo securement defects impact the carrier's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC rating. If you're later involved in a roadside inspection process or audit, inspectors can see this violation on your record. The key takeaway: work with your carrier to understand their load securement standards and ensure every intermodal container is properly latched and documented before you operate.