Am I responsible for the freight if my truck breaks down?

Under the Carmack Amendment, a carrier's liability for freight in its custody does not automatically pause because of a mechanical breakdown. If freight is damaged or lost while in your care — including during a breakdown — your cargo insurance is the relevant coverage. The breakdown defense is not one of Carmack's five accepted carrier defenses. If time-sensitive freight is delayed and the shipper or consignee suffers losses as a result, the question of liability depends on the rate confirmation terms and the specific circumstances.

What if my ELD goes out during the breakdown?

If your ELD malfunctions, you are required to keep paper logs or approved paper records until the ELD is repaired or replaced. FMCSA allows 8 days of paper records before the ELD must be repaired or replaced. Notify the FMCSA-registered ELD vendor of the malfunction, keep a record of the malfunction report, and carry the paper logs with the truck. During a roadside inspection without a functioning ELD, you will need to show the paper records.

Does a breakdown affect my CSA score?

A breakdown that results in a vehicle being placed out of service during a roadside inspection generates a violation that affects your CSA score. A breakdown that is repaired before any inspection and does not result in a citation does not directly affect your CSA score. However, if a breakdown-related delay causes you to violate hours-of-service rules — for example, driving beyond your 14-hour window to make up lost time — that HOS violation would affect your score if detected.

Should I try to complete the load or wait for repair?

Complete the load only if the repair can be accomplished safely and legally at the current location, and if continuing the drive is safe. Do not drive on a bad brake, a damaged tire, or with an active engine warning indicating a serious fault. If the truck is not safe to drive, it should not move until it is repaired. The cost of a breakdown repair is almost always less than the cost of an accident caused by driving an unsafe vehicle.

Guide

What to do when your truck breaks down

A breakdown on the road is a business emergency, a safety situation, and a logistics problem all at once. The decisions made in the first 30 minutes after a breakdown determine how much the incident costs, how long the delay lasts, and whether the cargo and the driver are safe. This guide explains what to do, in order, when something goes wrong on the road.

Immediate safety first

Before any phone calls or assessment, get the truck out of traffic. If the truck can move safely, get completely off the travel lane — off the shoulder, into a parking lot, or past a curve where approaching traffic cannot see the truck until it is too late to stop. If the truck cannot move at all, turn on the four-way flashers immediately.

Once the truck is as safely positioned as possible, set out reflective triangles or flares per FMCSA regulations:

One 10 feet behind the rear of the vehicle
One 100 feet behind the vehicle
One 100 feet ahead of the vehicle

On a divided highway, place the rear triangle 200 feet back, one at 100 feet, and one at the vehicle. If visibility is limited (curve, hill, fog), position the rear triangle farther back to give approaching traffic more warning time. If there is any risk to traffic safety — a breakdown in a travel lane, reduced visibility, or steep downgrade — call 911 first.

Assess and document the situation

Once you are safe, figure out what broke and document it. This matters for the repair shop diagnosis, insurance claims, warranty work, and explaining the situation to the broker.

What warning lights or indicators came on before or at the time of breakdown?
What did you notice first — noise, smoke, vibration, loss of power, warning lights?
Is the issue with the tractor or the trailer?
Is the truck drivable or not — and if not, can it be moved at all?

Take photos of warning lights on the dash, visible damage to tires or components, the truck's position relative to the road, and any fluids on the ground. Note the odometer reading, your exact location (highway name, mile marker, or nearest intersection), the time, and your last major fuel or rest stop. This documentation supports the repair shop's diagnosis and may be needed if the breakdown leads to a warranty claim.

Notify the broker — immediately

The broker needs to know now, not after the truck is fixed. Early notification gives the broker and shipper time to manage the delay — extending the pickup or delivery window, notifying the consignee, or arranging alternative coverage if the load cannot wait. Late notification removes all those options and turns a manageable delay into a missed load and a relationship problem.

Call, do not text, when calling with breakdown news. Have this information ready:

Your name and the load number or rate confirmation number
What happened (as specifically as you know it)
Your current location
Whether the freight is safe and secure
Your best estimate of how long the delay will be

If you genuinely do not know how long the repair will take, say that. "I've got a breakdown and I'm waiting for a diagnosis — I'll call you back within two hours with an update" is better than a guess that turns out to be wrong. Brokers can manage uncertainty; they cannot manage silence.

Roadside assistance and finding a repair shop

Roadside assistance options for commercial trucks:

Plans and memberships

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) offers roadside assistance coverage for members. Some truck dealers (Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Volvo, International) offer breakdown coverage through purchase programs or service plans. Fleet operators often have contracts with national providers like Road Squad, FleetNet, or NationaLease. Check your coverage before you need it — knowing who to call in the first 10 minutes of a breakdown saves an hour of searching.

Tire breakdowns

For tire failures, major commercial tire networks operate 24-hour emergency road service:

Goodyear's National Truck Tire program
Bridgestone's Commercial Truck Tire Centers
Michelin Truck Care
Flying J and Pilot locations with tire service

Carry at least one emergency contact number for a tire service network before your first trip. Tire failures account for a large proportion of commercial breakdowns.

Mechanical breakdowns

For engine, brake, electrical, or mechanical issues, look for:

A dealer for your truck brand — they have certified technicians and parts for your specific equipment
TruckDown.com — a directory of commercial truck repair shops searchable by location
Loves, Pilot Flying J, and TA/Petro locations with truck service bays
Mobile repair services in some areas for issues that can be diagnosed and fixed on-site

When calling a shop, tell them the year, make, model, and engine type of your truck, describe the symptoms, and ask if they work on that equipment before dispatching a tow. Not all shops work on all brands.

HOS compliance during a breakdown

The hours-of-service clock does not automatically pause because the truck broke down. Your duty status while broken down depends on what you are actually doing:

Waiting for a tow or repair at the breakdown site with no active duties: This may qualify as off duty if you are genuinely free from responsibilities and can sleep if needed.
Actively managing the breakdown — making calls, waiting at the shop, supervising repair: This is on-duty not driving time.
In the sleeper berth while waiting for repair: This counts as sleeper berth time and can be part of a split sleeper berth calculation.

Use your ELD's note or annotation function to document the breakdown — record the time, location, and nature of the mechanical problem. If you are pulled over for an inspection while broken down, this documentation demonstrates that any delays in the log are due to a verifiable mechanical event.

The FMCSA does have an adverse driving conditions exemption that extends the 11-hour driving limit by up to two hours in specific circumstances, but mechanical breakdown is not an adverse driving condition — the exemption applies to unexpected weather or traffic, not equipment failure.

Managing time-sensitive and temperature-controlled freight

If you are hauling perishables or temperature-controlled freight, a breakdown has a tighter urgency window. As soon as you have assessed the situation and made the broker call, confirm:

Whether the reefer unit is still running and maintaining temperature
Current trailer interior temperature and the required range
How long the freight can safely remain in the current temperature without risk of rejection at delivery

If the reefer unit is also down, or if the repair will take long enough to threaten the freight, the broker needs to know immediately. Options may include transferring the freight to another reefer trailer, finding temporary reefer storage near the breakdown location, or declaring a cargo claim situation if the freight condition is already compromised.

Do not transfer freight to another carrier or authorize anyone to offload cargo without the broker's explicit direction. Unauthorized cargo transfers can create liability issues and damage claims that complicate the situation further.

After the repair: back on the road checklist

Before you pull back onto the highway after a roadside repair:

Get a copy of the repair invoice or work order — itemized, with parts, labor, and the nature of the repair documented.
Confirm the repair is complete and the truck is safe to drive — ask the technician what the failure was and what was repaired or replaced.
Check your HOS: verify you have enough available driving time to complete the trip or make a legal decision about where to stop.
Call the broker to update your ETA — confirm any revised pickup or delivery appointment times.
Note the repair in your trip records for tax purposes (maintenance expense) and for vehicle history if you own the equipment.

Common questions about truck breakdowns

Am I liable for the freight if my truck breaks down?: Carrier liability for freight in your care does not pause during a breakdown. Under the Carmack Amendment, a carrier is presumed liable for freight loss or damage unless one of five specific defenses applies — and mechanical failure is not among them. Your cargo insurance is what covers freight-related claims arising from a breakdown. If time-sensitive freight is delayed, whether consequential damages are recoverable depends on your rate confirmation terms and the specific facts.
What do I do if my ELD stops working during the breakdown?: Switch to paper logs immediately and continue logging. FMCSA rules require you to maintain records of duty status on paper if your ELD malfunctions, and you must report the malfunction to your ELD provider within 24 hours. You have 8 days to have the ELD repaired or replaced. Keep the paper logs in the truck; if you are inspected without a functioning ELD, you must show those logs to the officer.
Can I use the adverse driving conditions exemption to make up lost time?: No. The adverse driving conditions exemption — which allows an additional two hours of driving — applies to unexpected weather or road conditions encountered while driving, not to mechanical breakdowns. A breakdown that delays your trip does not qualify for the exemption. If the breakdown pushes you against your HOS limit, you may need to take a rest break before completing the trip.
Who pays for the breakdown repair?: If you own the truck, you pay for the repair — this is a business operating expense and is tax-deductible. If the truck is under a lease-to-own agreement, review the contract for maintenance responsibility language, as some agreements assign certain repair categories to the lessor. Physical damage insurance covers the truck itself if the breakdown resulted from a collision or covered external event, but standard mechanical failure is not covered by physical damage insurance — it is an operating expense.