FMCSR 393.136B: Boulder Placement & Out-of-Service Rules

Yes—across our inspection records, 393.136B citations resulted in an out-of-service rate of 100.0%, meaning every truck cited for improper boulder placement was placed OOS. This is significantly higher than the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%. When cited for this violation, expect your vehicle to be taken out of service until the issue is corrected and re-inspected.

The FMCSA CSA system assigns point values based on severity and the 30-day violation frequency—however, your citation records don't include the specific CSA point weight for 393.136B. Contact your carrier's compliance officer or the FMCSA Safety Management Guidelines to determine your exact points. What we can confirm: our database shows this code is cited very infrequently (only 1 citation in the last 12 months nationally), so fleet-wide impact is minimal.

Immediately:

1. Stop operation — your truck will be placed out of service
2. Document the defect — take photos of the boulder placement issue
3. Contact your carrier/dispatcher — report the citation and OOS status
4. Arrange repair — the improper boulder positioning must be corrected
5. Request re-inspection — once fixed, have an inspector verify compliance before resuming operation

Do not resume hauling until cleared by an official inspection.

Yes—393.136B is exceptionally serious. Its 100.0% OOS rate far exceeds the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%. Among similar vehicle maintenance codes, most carry lower OOS rates: inoperable lamps (393.9) sits at 6.9%, lighting devices at 1.8%, and windshield defects at 0.3%. Boulder placement violations consistently result in out-of-service placement, making this one of the strictest enforcement categories in our database.

Yes—the FMCSA DataQs portal allows you to challenge roadside inspection records if you believe the citation was issued in error or documented incorrectly. Submit evidence (photos, repair receipts, re-inspection reports) to support your case. For equipment-based violations like boulder placement, DataQs works best when you have proof that the defect was already corrected before the citation was issued, or that the inspector misidentified the issue. Work with your carrier's safety team to file within FMCSA deadlines.

Over the last 180 days, Illinois accounts for the only documented 393.136B citation in our 13M+ inspection record database (1 citation, placed OOS). This violation is extremely rare nationally—ranked #2651 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by all-time citation volume. With only 2 total citations ever recorded and zero citations in the last 90 days, this code represents one of the least-cited maintenance violations.

Extremely urgent. With a 100.0% OOS rate, your truck cannot operate until the boulder placement defect is resolved and verified by inspection. Our data shows the last citation occurred in November 2025, and zero citations in the past 90 days—but when this violation is cited, enforcement is absolute. Prioritize immediate repair and re-inspection; delayed compliance keeps your vehicle off the road and impacts revenue.

The citation follows the vehicle and carrier in the FMCSA Safety Management System. Both you and your carrier will see the violation in your records and CSA profiles. The out-of-service flag stays with the vehicle until repairs are completed and verified. Your carrier may conduct a driver investigation depending on their policy, but the primary liability rests with the carrier's vehicle maintenance program—this is why fleets track boulder securing practices closely.