397.67B-HMDP: Hazmat Routing for Radioactive Materials Q&A

No. Across our inspection records, this citation has never resulted in an out-of-service order. The 0.0% OOS rate for 397.67B-HMDP means all 27 citations in our database were non-OOS findings. By contrast, the national average OOS rate across all FMCSR codes is 31.4%, so this violation sits well below the threshold for immediate roadside removal.

This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 9. That weight is applied to your carrier's Hazardous Materials BASIC within 30 days of the citation date. The points accumulate alongside other hazmat findings; the total impact depends on how many other citations your carrier receives in that same 30-day window and across the rolling 24-month CSA period.

Immediate steps:

1. Document the citation details — note the date, location, and inspector's specific routing concern.
2. Review your route plan — verify you followed HAZMAT routing requirements for radioactive materials per your routing guide and state regulations.
3. Check your vehicle records — our data shows this code sometimes appears alongside brake defects and HOS violations; confirm your maintenance logs are current.
4. Notify your carrier/compliance officer — they need to file the violation in your motor carrier file and assess whether a corrective action is needed.
5. Preserve evidence — save GPS logs, dispatch records, and permits that show your intended vs. actual route.

Relatively speaking, no. While 397.67B-HMDP carries a severity weight of 9, it ranks #1838 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume and has a 0.0% OOS rate. Compare that to peer hazmat codes: general loading/unloading violations (177.834A-HMC) have 99.2% OOS rates and 3,954 citations; placarding violations (177.817(a)) reach 75.1% OOS and 2,274 citations. Routing violations are far less frequently cited and almost never result in immediate removal.

Yes, you can challenge the citation through the DataQs Request for Reconsideration (RDR) process. Route violations hinge on documentation—your dispatcher's routing justification, permits, and proof of the prescribed route. If the inspector cited you for using an unauthorized route but you have contemporaneous evidence (GPS, permits, dispatch notes) showing compliance, file an RDR with FMCSA within 30 days of the citation. Documentation-based findings are more contestable than equipment defects.

Over the last 180 days, our inspection records show 397.67B-HMDP was most frequently cited in Colorado (4 citations), followed by Ohio (3 citations) and Massachusetts (1 citation). None of these resulted in OOS orders. If you operate primarily in other states, the citation risk is significantly lower; enforcement concentration in these three states suggests localized regulatory focus on radioactive materials transport routes.

Moderate urgency. While this violation does not trigger immediate out-of-service action, it signals a routing deficiency that FMCSA takes seriously for hazmat. Over the last 90 days, we recorded 5 citations; over the last 12 months, 21. The steady citation volume (4 in April 2025, 4 in May 2025) indicates ongoing inspector focus. Address the routing issue within 14 days: confirm your hazmat routing procedures, update your GPS or routing software, and brief your dispatch team on prescribed routes for radioactive shipments in your operating area.

This violation attaches to your motor carrier's CSA record, not your individual driver record. The citation reflects a carrier-level compliance failure—failure to establish or enforce prescribed routing for radioactive materials. Your carrier's Hazardous Materials BASIC will absorb the severity weight of 9. If you are the driver cited, the violation appears on your carrier's history; your personal driving record is not directly penalized, though your carrier may conduct a safety audit affecting future dispatch assignments.