FMCSR 393.116(f) — Cargo Securement Violations Explained

Yes. Across our 13 million inspection records, every citation for 393.116(f) resulted in an out-of-service order—a 100% OOS rate. This is substantially higher than the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%. When an inspector finds an intermodal container not properly secured to your chassis or platform, your truck does not leave that roadside.

Your immediate next step: do not move the vehicle. Contact your carrier's maintenance dispatcher and the shipper or freight broker to arrange proper securement before any attempt to operate.

This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 7. Your carrier will also receive points through the Unsafe Driving and Vehicle Maintenance BASICs. The exact CSA point total depends on how many citations are issued at the same stop and your carrier's history in the past 12 months—FMCSA multiplies severity weight by a factor based on citation frequency. Request your carrier's CSA coordinator to show you the point impact in your company's SMS profile within 30 days of the citation.

1. Stop operating. Do not drive the vehicle. The citation results in an out-of-service order 100% of the time.
2. Contact dispatch. Report the citation and location to your carrier immediately.
3. Document the load. Take photos of the container and securement, note the date/time of the inspection, and get the inspector's badge number and citation number.
4. Arrange repair. Work with your carrier to have the container properly secured by a qualified technician before moving the vehicle.
5. File within 10 days. If you believe the citation was issued in error, your carrier can contest it through the DataQs process.

Yes—significantly. Our inspection records show 393.116(f) is enforced far less often than peer codes (49 all-time citations vs. 660,737 for inoperable lamps), but when it is cited, the consequence is severe. The 100% OOS rate vastly exceeds peer codes like windshield defects (0.3% OOS) and lighting violations (1.8% OOS). This reflects that improper container securement poses immediate risk of load loss or spillage on the roadway, making it a critical safety violation.

Yes. Intermodal securement findings are factual equipment conditions, not documentation errors. If you believe the inspector was incorrect—for example, the container was properly secured and the citation was issued in error—your carrier can file a DataQs (Record Detail Query) challenge within 15 days of the violation date. You will need clear evidence: photos, logs, witness statements from the driver and shipper, or proof of proper maintenance records. DataQs contests are reviewed by FMCSA and can result in citation removal if the agency agrees the violation was not supported.

Our database shows only 49 total citations for 393.116(f) across all states and carriers. The top citations come from carriers like Nicholas Worley Trucking Inc, Norberto Islas, and Matt Jerry Trucking LLC (2 citations each), and Kenworth and Peterbilt vehicles dominate the citation record (15 and 13 citations respectively). Because enforcement volume is very low, geographic concentration data is not reliable. Focus instead on your carrier's securement procedures and pre-trip inspections to avoid this violation regardless of location.

Immediate. You cannot operate the vehicle—it is placed out of service on the spot. There is no timeline; you must not move it until the container is properly secured. However, the citation trend is encouraging: across our 13 million records, there have been zero citations in the last 12 months and zero in the last 90 days for this code. This suggests that proper securement practices are now standard industry-wide. Once your carrier's maintenance team secures the container correctly and an inspector clears it, you can resume operations.

Both. The violation is recorded against your carrier in the Unsafe Driving and Vehicle Maintenance BASICs. However, it also appears on your individual driver history in FMCSA's Public Query System, visible to future employers, insurers, and regulators. The citation itself does not disqualify you from driving, but it signals a failure to verify load securement before departure. Future carriers may question your pre-trip inspection practices. Work with your current carrier's safety team to understand their securement policy and ensure you verify container restraint systems on every intermodal load.