TruckCodex

393.70 — Coupling devices defective

FMCSA violation code under Vehicle Maintenance. 508 events recorded in roadside inspections. Severity weight: 8. Out-of-service eligible.

OOS Eligible
Severity Weight
8
OOS Eligible
Yes
BASIC Category
Vehicle Maintenance
Total Events
508
Code
393.70
Code System
FMCSR
BASIC Category
Vehicle Maintenance
OOS Eligible
Yes
Severity Weight
8
Violation Group
BASIC 5
Total Events
508
Carriers Cited
444

Violation Description

Coupling devices and towing methods are defective, including fifth wheel, kingpin, pintle hook, and drawbar.

About This Violation Code

Code 393.70 falls under the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC category in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS). It carries a severity weight of 8 (scale 1-10, higher = more severe). This violation is Out-of-Service eligible, meaning the driver or vehicle may be placed out of service at roadside when cited.

When this violation is cited during a roadside inspection, it contributes to the carrier's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score. Carriers with high BASIC percentiles may be prioritized for FMCSA interventions including warning letters, investigations, or compliance reviews.

Regulatory Reference

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

This violation references 49 CFR 393.70 in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

View on eCFR.gov →FMCSA Violations Search →
Events (all time)
508
OOS Events
99
OOS Rate
19.5%
Top State (180d)
Texas
74 events

Top Enforcing States

Where 393.70 is most commonly cited (last 180 days)

1.Texas
74
OOS 8.1%
2.Illinois
5
OOS 0.0%
3.New Mexico
1
OOS 100.0%

Click a state to see roadside inspection activity, top stations, and carrier profiles in that jurisdiction.

Citation Trend (12 months)

Monthly count of 393.70 citations. Red bars mark months with OOS-triggering citations.

3
Apr
12
May
13
Jun
16
Jul
16
Aug
7
Sep
16
Oct
11
Nov
13
Dec
14
Jan
21
Feb
17
Mar

Most Active Stations

Inspection stations citing 393.70 most often (last 180 days)

1.SH-0225 IN HARRIS CO. (686-700
8
OOS 0.0%
2.COLUMBIA POE
7
OOS 0.0%
3.US 81 NB
4
OOS 0.0%
4.US380 DECATUR SCALE
3
OOS 0.0%
5.SH-0071 IN TRAVIS CO. (546-590
2
OOS 0.0%
6.SH-0146 IN HARRIS CO. (482-500
2
OOS 0.0%
7.IH-0635 IN DALLAS CO. (0-35)
2
OOS 50.0%
8.7800 FAIRMONT PKWY
2
OOS 50.0%
9.5400 GENOA RED BLUF
2
OOS 50.0%
10.6500 GREENS RD
2
OOS 50.0%

Often Cited Together

Other violations commonly found on the same inspection (last 90 days)

393.927 co-occurrences393.47E23 co-occurrences393.45B2UV21 co-occurrences392.2RG17 co-occurrences396.5B14 co-occurrences396.17C13 co-occurrences393.53B12 co-occurrences393.7810 co-occurrences393.47A8 co-occurrences393.75A3-TAOL8 co-occurrences

Citation patterns suggest related root causes (e.g., HOS violations paired with logbook errors).

Top Carriers Cited

Ranked by frequency • 444 carriers total • Page 1 of 18

Top Carriers with 393.70 Violations

Showing 25 of 444

fmcsa-violations
Top Carriers with 393.70 Violations
#CarrierUSDOT# Violations
#1GULF WINDS INTERNATIONAL INC6901477
#2EVANS DELIVERY COMPANY INC381115
#3JDJ LOGISTICS LLC44291594
#4JOSE HUMBERTO MARTINEZ34949883
#5P J MURPHY TRANSPORTATION INC4479953
#6E TRANSPORTS LLC20504893
#7AGGREGATE HAULERS I L P10214853
#8MOUNTAIN VIEW TRUCKING LLC14785382
#9TROPHY TRUCKING SERVICES LLC28711292
#10JOSE ANTONIO PORTILLO SOSA25270232
#11QFS TRANSPORTATION LLC22447172
#12BARNETTE AND SONS INC38355872
#13RP TRANSPORT LLC32347822
#14PILOT TRAVEL CENTERS LLC918052
#15BIG STACKS TRUCKING LLC41620442
#16MARIO F GALEANO32588002
#17ABRAHAM RODRIGUEZ29623682
#18VINTNERS LOGISTICS LLC17128082
#19RODANG TRUCKING LLC35934692
#20QUANTIX 3PL SOLUTIONS LLC22229612
#21H LOGISTICS USA LLC38202632
#22O7 ENERGY CO LLC25218922
#23J GONZALEZ ENTERPRISES LLC19536152
#24AEC LOGISTICS LLC32974862
#25GRISELDA TREJO CHAVEZ18404042

Recent Inspections

Latest inspections where 393.70 was cited • 508 total events • Page 1 of 21

Recent Inspections with 393.70

Showing 25 of 508

fmcsa-inspections
Recent Inspections with 393.70
DateReport #StateLevelOOS
Mar 30, 202687468842TXLevel 1No
Mar 26, 202687469139TXLevel 2No
Mar 25, 202687466520TXLevel 2No
Mar 24, 202687410722TXLevel 1No
Mar 24, 202687397216TXLevel 2No
Mar 23, 202687466584TXLevel 1No
Mar 23, 202687385597TXLevel 2No
Mar 23, 202687467112TXLevel 1No
Mar 23, 202687386158TXLevel 2Yes
Mar 20, 202687384640TXLevel 1No
Mar 20, 202687409970TXLevel 1No
Mar 12, 202687291021ILLevel 2No
Mar 3, 202687252611TXLevel 1No
Mar 3, 202687227546TXLevel 2No
Mar 3, 202687263034TXLevel 1No
Feb 27, 202687191636TXLevel 1No
Feb 27, 202687191536TXLevel 2No
Feb 25, 202687191586TXLevel 2No
Feb 25, 202687191866TXLevel 1No
Feb 25, 202687191691TXLevel 2No
Feb 24, 202687191269TXLevel 1No
Feb 19, 202687153491TXLevel 1No
Feb 19, 202687152101TXLevel 1No
Feb 19, 202687152108TXLevel 1No
Feb 18, 202687151461TXLevel 2No

Data sources & freshness

FMCSA Vehicle Inspections and Violations
Updated 3 months ago
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR)
Unknown freshness

Related records

CategoryAll Vehicle Maintenance Violations
Browse all violation codes in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC
IndexAll Violation Codes
FMCSR violation codes by BASIC category
ReferenceFMCSA Roadside Inspections
Inspection levels and procedures
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