FMCSA Compliance Checklist for Cross-Border Carriers

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates all commercial motor vehicles in the United States. For cross-border carriers operating between Mexico and the US, compliance involves DOT registration, SAFER system enrollment, hours-of-service (HOS) tracking via ELDs, IFTA fuel tax reporting, and hazmat endorsements for fuel transporters.

US HOS rules for property-carrying drivers: 11-hour driving limit after 10 consecutive hours off duty, 14-hour on-duty window, 30-minute break required after 8 hours of driving, 60/70-hour weekly limit. All HOS must be recorded on FMCSA-approved Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs).

The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) requires quarterly reporting of fuel purchased and miles driven in each jurisdiction. Cross-border carriers must track fuel purchases by state/province and calculate net tax owed or credits due. Cantarell OS automates IFTA calculations by integrating GPS mileage with fuel card transaction data.

Cantarell OS provides automated HOS tracking, IFTA fuel tax calculation, DOT number verification, and FMCSA SAFER integration — all from a single platform designed for binational operations.