(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the rules in this part govern proceedings before the Assistant Administrator, who also acts as the Chief Safety Officer of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, under applicable provisions of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR parts 350-399), including the commercial regulations (49 CFR parts 360-379), and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR parts 171-180).

(b) The purpose of the proceedings is to enable the Assistant Administrator:

(1) To determine whether a motor carrier, intermodal equipment provider (as defined in §390.5 of this chapter), property broker, freight forwarder, or its agents, employees, or any other person subject to the jurisdiction of FMCSA, has failed to comply with the provisions or requirements of applicable statutes and the corresponding regulations; and

(2) To issue an appropriate order to compel compliance with the statute or regulation, assess a civil penalty, or both, if such violations are found.

(c)

(1) The rules in §386.12(a) govern the filing of a complaint of a substantial violation and the handling of the complaint by the appropriate Division Administrator.

(2) The rules in §386.12(b) govern the filing by a driver and the handling by the appropriate Division Administrator of a complaint of harassment in violation of §390.36 of this subchapter.

(3) The rules in §386.12(c) govern the filing by a driver and the handling by the appropriate Division Administrator of a complaint of coercion in violation of §390.6 of this subchapter.

[73 FR 76819, Dec. 17, 2008, as amended at 80 FR 74709, Nov. 30, 2015; 81 FR 78381, Dec. 16, 2015; 81 FR 68347, Oct. 4, 2016]