393.126(c) Citation: Cargo Securement & Out-of-Service Risk

Yes. Across our 13 million inspection records, every citation for 393.126(c) has resulted in an out-of-service placement—a 100.0% OOS rate. This is dramatically higher than the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%, which means inspectors treat improper flattened or crushed vehicle securement as an immediate safety risk requiring vehicle removal from service until corrected.

This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 6 points. The weight applies to your Safety & Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) profile and contributes to your Safety Management scores. Within 30 days of the citation, you'll see the impact reflected in your driver record and any carrier's CSA monitoring system. The exact point multiplier depends on your state's CSA methodology, but the base severity is 6.

1. Stop transporting cargo immediately—your vehicle is out of service.
2. Inspect the securement system for the flattened/crushed vehicle load.
3. Correct the securement to meet FMCSR 393.126 standards.
4. Request a re-inspection by the same DOT officer or a certified inspector to clear the OOS violation.
5. Document the repair with photos and inspection notes for your record.
6. Contact your carrier or safety manager to report the citation and corrective action.

Yes, this is exceptionally serious. Our data shows a 100.0% out-of-service rate for 393.126(c), which far exceeds the 31.4% all-FMCSR average. Among vehicle maintenance codes in the same category, peer violations like inoperable lamps (393.9) have a 15.4% OOS rate and lighting defects (393.11) have only 1.8%. Flattened vehicle securement is treated as an immediate hazard.

Yes, you can challenge the citation through the DataQS (DataQuality System) process via the FMCSA website. File a dispute if you believe the violation was incorrectly documented or if conditions were mischaracterized. Since this is an equipment/securement inspection finding, your challenge should focus on whether the securement method actually violated the standard or if the load condition was misidentified. Submit supporting photos or documentation of correct securement.

Very rare. Our database contains only 19 all-time citations for 393.126(c) across 13 million roadside inspections, ranking it #1962 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. In the last 12 months, we've recorded zero citations nationally. This violation is so uncommon that when it does occur, it signals a serious breach in cargo control protocols.

Our records show 19 all-time citations spread across 10 carriers. The citations are evenly distributed: Roehl Transport, Tennessee Steel Haulers, Sullivan Trucking of Auburn, Hunt Electric, Brian Stubelek, Oaks Brothers, Everardo Cuevas Sandoval, Lorenzo Williams, Ceccanti, and Narezo Trucking each have one citation. No single carrier dominates the violation pattern, suggesting this is an isolated incident-driven finding rather than a systemic fleet issue.

Freightliner dominates with 7 citations, followed by Peterbilt, Wilson Trailers, and Kenworth with 3 each. Volvo, GMC, and unpublished makes account for 2 each. The citation pattern skews toward heavy-duty commercial tractors and trailers, which aligns with hauling flattened or crushed vehicles—a specialized cargo operation requiring precise securement engineering.