What 393.75(e) means in plain language
FMCSR 393.75(e) prohibits the use of a regrooved tire on the front axle of a truck or truck-tractor. A regrooved tire is one where the tread has been artificially restored by cutting new grooves into a worn tire casing. While retread tires (tires manufactured from the start with a bonded tread layer) are legal, tires that have been manually regrooved after initial use are not permitted on steering axles.
The regulation exists because front tires directly control steering and braking response. Regrooved tires on the front axle create unpredictable handling characteristics and are more prone to failure under load or during emergency maneuvers. A citation means an officer found evidence that your truck was equipped with a regrooved tire in a position where it affects directional control.
This is distinct from retread tires, which are legal when properly maintained. The distinction matters: retread tires have undergone controlled manufacturing processes and come with quality assurance. Regrooved tires do not.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ inspection records, 393.75(e) is a rare violation. We have documented 15 citations all-time for regrooved tires on truck front axles. In the last 12 months, we recorded 0 citations, and in the last 90 days, 0 citations.
This code ranks #2050 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume—placing it in the lowest 33% of violations by enforcement frequency. Of the 15 all-time citations in our database, 2 resulted in out-of-service (OOS) placement, yielding a 13.3% OOS rate. By comparison, the all-FMCSR average OOS rate is 31.4%, meaning this violation is placed out of service at roughly 58% of the rate of the typical violation. However, the raw citation count is too small to draw strong statistical conclusions about enforcement consistency.
The practical implication: if you are cited for this, you are in a minority. The violation is uncommon, which suggests either effective compliance industry-wide on front-axle tire selection, or limited roadside scrutiny of tire grooves. Either way, the citation carries moderate rather than high enforcement weight in the data.
Who gets cited most
Our enforcement records do not include a state-level breakdown for 393.75(e) citations, so we cannot identify a geographic concentration. The top carriers cited for this violation each have only 1 citation across our database. These include carriers such as Southern Pipe & Supply Co Inc (USDOT 79183), FFE Transportation Services Inc (USDOT 109745), and C G Hall Trucking Inc (USDOT 535215). The single-citation distribution across multiple carriers indicates this is not a carrier-specific compliance problem.
Vehicle make data shows that Volvo trucks appear in 3 of the 15 citations (including both VOLV and VOLVO entries), while Peterbilt, Kenworth, Mack, and other major manufacturers each appear once. The Volvo count likely reflects the prevalence of that brand in the general truck population rather than a defect or compliance gap.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Vehicle maintenance violations span a wide range of enforcement intensity. For context, inoperable required lamps (393.9(a)) generated 660,737 citations with a 15.4% OOS rate. Inspection and repair maintenance requirements (396.3(a)(1)) produced 236,919 citations with a 45.3% OOS rate. Windshield condition defects (393.78) resulted in 157,894 citations with a 0.3% OOS rate.
At 15 citations all-time, 393.75(e) is enforced at a fraction of the rate of these peer codes. Its 13.3% OOS rate sits between the low-enforcement windshield category and the higher-enforcement lamp category, suggesting that when officers do cite it, they view it with moderate seriousness but not emergency-level severity. The rarity of citations combined with the moderate OOS rate indicates this is not a high-profile enforcement priority relative to other tire and lighting violations.
How to avoid it
-
Inspect your front tires closely before every trip. Look for evidence of artificial regroove cuts—new groove lines that run perpendicular to the tire's natural wear pattern. Retread tires (which are legal) will show a factory-bonded tread layer with a visible seam around the tire's circumference. If you cannot distinguish between the two, ask your maintenance team or carrier safety officer.
-
Use only retread tires on the front axle if you use retreads at all. Retread tires must be manufactured tires with a factory-applied tread layer. Manual regroove work is prohibited on steering axles. Ensure your tire supplier and maintenance personnel understand the difference.
-
Know your tire history. If a tire has been in service for multiple years and shows deep wear, do not attempt to extend its life through regroove work on the steer axle. Replace it with a new or properly manufactured retread.
-
Conduct pre-trip inspections of all four tires, including depth checks and visual inspection for cuts, bulges, and unusual wear patterns. A tire that looks questionable should be flagged to your carrier's maintenance team before you roll.
-
If your carrier uses a tire recap or regroove service, clarify the policy. Some carriers may use regrooved tires on trailer or drive axles (where the practice is not prohibited), but front-axle tires must always be new or retread. Ask your dispatcher or safety manager to confirm your fleet's tire sourcing policy in writing.