This regulation, titled School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection, specifies occupant protection requirements for school bus passenger seating and restraining barriers. This standard provides increased protection to passengers through a range of engineering requirements collectively known as compartmentalization. This standard only applies to school buses and covers all styles of school bus. FMVSS 208 applies to automobiles.

This standard specifies equipment and performance requirements for service brakes and for parking brake systems. The purpose of this standard is to ensure safe braking performance under normal and emergency driving conditions. This applies to passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses with a GVWR of 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) or less.

All motor carriers who must follow the FMCSRs are subject to a U.S. DOT compliance audit. Based on evidence of compliance, or lack thereof, you will be issued a safety rating of either satisfactory, conditional, or unsatisfactory. If you do not comply with the regulations, you may be issued a poor rating, which may cause you to lose operating authority, cause your insurance rates to increase, or cause shippers to cease using your services.

It is a law passed by the United States Congress which requires ALL the individual states to comply with certain standards in regards to the licensing of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Kentucky driver licensing standards comply with the law, requiring CMV drivers to obtain a Kentucky Commercial Driver's License (CDL) when driving applicable vehicles.