Author: Mallory Kennedy

Brake Safety Week serves as an important reminder that one of the most critical safety systems on any commercial vehicle is also one of the most frequently inspected.

Sponsored annually by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), this initiative encourages carriers to review brake components, address maintenance concerns, and ensure vehicles are road-ready before inspection events begin. Proper brake performance not only supports regulatory compliance – it protects drivers, passengers, and everyone sharing the road.

At Lee Trans, we encourage carriers to make preventive maintenance a year-round priority. Safe equipment is the foundation of safe operations.

America’s national parks have connected generations through history, conservation, and exploration. This year, as our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the National Park Service marks 110 years of preserving some of our country’s most treasured landscapes.

To commemorate the occasion, August 25 is a fee-free entrance day, providing an opportunity for families to experience the beauty and history of our national parks together.

Whether your travels take you across town or across the country, we encourage everyone to plan ahead, travel safely, and take time to appreciate the places that make our nation unique.

Happy 110th Birthday to the National Park Service!

From our President, Jackie Polk, CTP:

Congratulations also to Jeannie Lilley, our August Clean Desk Award recipient!  Jeannie is an outstanding example of organization, professionalism, and efficiency.  Working in our Licensing & Permitting department, she manages an incredible volume of applications, client funds, phone calls, and questions while keeping work moving seamlessly for her clients.  Despite the many moving parts she juggles each day, her workspace remains neat, organized, and professional. Thank you, Jeannie, for your hard work, dependability, and leadership – you set a wonderful example for us all.

Hidden Fleet Spotlight

Landscaping & Grounds Services

When most people picture a regulated motor carrier, they envision an over-the-road tractor-trailer hauling freight across the country. Landscaping companies rarely come to mind.  Yet many landscaping and grounds maintenance businesses operate vehicles that may fall under DOT regulations. From dump trucks and stake-bed trucks to equipment trailers carrying skid steers, mowers, and other heavy equipment, these fleets often exceed federal or state thresholds without realizing transportation regulations may apply.  For many organizations, transportation is simply a means to reach the jobsite, not the primary business. That makes landscaping one of the many “hidden fleets” operating in industries outside traditional trucking.

More Than Just a Pickup Truck

As landscaping companies grow, so do their transportation responsibilities.  Larger trucks, enclosed trailers, and heavier equipment can increase a vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR), potentially triggering additional regulatory requirements depending on how and where the fleet operates.  The truck may only get your crew to the jobsite, but from a regulatory standpoint, it may be one of the most important pieces of equipment you own.  Whether operating under federal regulations or state-specific transportation codes, understanding vehicle classifications is an important first step in determining compliance responsibilities.

Seasonal Work Creates Unique Challenges

Landscaping operations often experience significant seasonal fluctuations. Temporary employees, changing crews, storm response work, and increased equipment movement can create additional compliance challenges throughout the year.  Drivers may spend most of their day performing landscaping services rather than driving, making it easy to overlook transportation requirements such as Driver Qualification, vehicle inspections, or Hours of Service when applicable.

Emergency Response vs. Routine Cleanup

Natural disasters frequently bring landscaping and tree service companies into emergency response efforts.  Under certain circumstances, emergency relief operations may qualify for temporary regulatory relief or exemptions intended to help restore essential services following hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and other disasters. These provisions are generally designed to support activities that protect life or property or restore critical infrastructure such as electrical, water, sewer, communications, and other essential utilities.

However, those exemptions are often misunderstood.  Once emergency conditions subside or when work involves debris removal, landscaping restoration, or general cleanup that is not directly supporting the restoration of essential services, the temporary relief may no longer apply. At that point, normal regulatory requirements typically resume.  Understanding where emergency exemptions begin and end is essential to maintaining compliance while supporting recovery efforts.

Staying Organized Year-Round

Many landscaping companies focus on maintaining equipment, scheduling crews, and serving customers. Transportation compliance often becomes just one of many responsibilities competing for attention.  Developing organized systems for vehicle records, driver qualification documentation, asset tracking, and fleet maintenance helps reduce administrative burden while supporting safer operations throughout the year.

Hidden Fleet Spotlight

At Lee Trans, we work with landscaping companies and grounds maintenance organizations that never expected transportation regulations to apply to their operations. Through Consulting, Driver Qualification support, Asset Management with FleetKeep, Licensing and Permitting, and compliance guidance, we help organizations better understand their regulatory exposure while keeping their focus where it belongs – serving their customers.

Strengthening Compliance Through Virtual and On-Site Mock DOT Audits

As we move through August, many carriers begin preparing for the busy fall season — a time when operations ramp up, roadside inspections increase, and regulatory pressure tends to tighten. This makes mid-year an ideal moment to evaluate the strength of your compliance program and confirm that your records and processes align with FMCSA expectations.

One of the most effective ways to ensure readiness is through a Mock DOT Audit. Whether conducted virtually or on-site, a structured audit review offers clear insight into the health of your compliance system. It identifies gaps before they become violations and helps build confidence that your procedures, documentation, and safety practices are truly audit-ready.

Our mock audit process mirrors the structure of an official DOT review, including:

• Driver Qualification File assessments
• Drug & Alcohol program checks
• Hours-of-Service and ELD record evaluations
• Vehicle maintenance and inspection documentation
• Policies, processes, and required documentation for safety management controls

Both virtual and on-site options provide value, depending on a carrier’s operations and needs. Virtual audits allow for flexible scheduling and efficient document review, while on-site assessments provide deeper visibility into day-to-day processes, physical records, and facility practices.

Whichever approach is used, the goal remains the same: to provide carriers with a clear, actionable understanding of where they stand — and practical guidance to strengthen compliance before an official review ever occurs.

As we head into the last quarter of the year, proactive preparation can be the difference between a stressful audit experience and a confident one. Our team is committed to helping carriers build strong, sustainable compliance systems that hold up under scrutiny and support safer operations on the road.

Wishing you a productive and well-prepared close to the summer season.

Xavier Richard, Esq.

DOT Compliance Specialist

Learn with Lee Trans

Preparing for Your Annual UCR Update: Who Needs It and Why It Matters

Every year, motor carriers across the country prepare for an important administrative requirement that often goes overlooked until renewal season arrives – the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR).  Unlike many FMCSA programs, UCR isn’t tied to driver qualification or vehicle maintenance. Instead, it’s an annual registration program that helps fund motor carrier safety and enforcement activities in participating states. While the renewal itself is relatively straightforward, understanding who must register, when it’s required, and what can happen if it’s missed is an important part of maintaining a compliant operation.

What is UCR?

The Unified Carrier Registration Plan was established under the Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005 and applies to individuals and companies that operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce.  Generally, UCR registration is required for motor carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and leasing companies that operate across state lines or otherwise engage in interstate transportation.  Unlike your USDOT Number or Operating Authority, UCR is renewed annually, with fees based on the number of commercial motor vehicles in your fleet.

Does Every Carrier Need to Register?

Not necessarily – one of the most common misconceptions is that every company with a USDOT Number must file UCR. Whether registration is required depends on several factors, including:

• Whether your operation is interstate or intrastate
• The type of authority you hold
• Your role in the transportation industry (motor carrier, broker, freight forwarder, leasing company)
• The states in which you operate

Because operations evolve over time, it’s important to periodically review whether your registration status has changed.

Why Does It Matter?

Although UCR is an administrative requirement, failing to maintain current registration can have real consequences.  Depending on the jurisdiction, carriers operating without a current UCR registration may be subject to roadside enforcement, citations, fines, or delays during inspections. It can also create unnecessary complications during audits or compliance reviews.  Like many compliance programs, staying current is significantly easier than correcting deficiencies after they’re discovered.

Annual Registration Means Annual Review

One benefit of the annual renewal process is that it provides an opportunity to review your operation as a whole.

• Has your fleet grown?
• Have you added vehicles?
• Have you expanded into interstate commerce?
• Have your reporting responsibilities changed?

These are all questions worth asking before submitting your renewal.

More Than a Renewal

While UCR is only one piece of a carrier’s compliance program, it’s a reminder that regulatory responsibilities extend beyond the truck itself. Driver qualification, drug and alcohol testing, vehicle maintenance, licensing, fuel tax reporting, and annual registrations all work together to support a compliant operation.  Taking time each year to review these programs can help identify gaps before they become problems.

Learn with Lee Trans

At Lee Trans, we assist carriers with licensing and permitting requirements, including annual UCR registration, while helping clients understand how those responsibilities fit into their overall compliance program. Whether you’re renewing for another year or determining if your operation requires registration for the first time, our team is here to help.

Every fleet is different, and so are its compliance responsibilities. That’s why each month, our Learn with Lee Trans series explores the regulations, programs, and best practices that help carriers operate with confidence. If there’s a topic you’d like us to cover in a future edition, we’d love to hear from you.

This summer we hit the road to share expertise, build connections, and help carriers across the state. A few of our favorite highlights:

Participating in Roadeos
Partner and Client meetings
Attending TXTA Chapter Meetings in Tyler, Dallas and Houston
Presenting the ABCs of DOT for Safety Councils in Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio

Looking for Lee Trans in your area? Connect with us at sales@leetrans.com to learn about our upcoming schedule, or how we can help!