DOT compliance is a standard set by the U.S Department of Transportation for maintaining the safety and security of the country’s transportation system so that drivers, the general public, and workers are safe.
Now to check whether the DOT Compliance rules and regulations have been met or exceeded by the truck owners, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will conduct a safety audit. This audit is referred to as DOT Compliance Review.
DOT Compliance Review
An Investigator is sent by the FMCSA between 2 to 10 business days after calling your place to check all the required documents to operate as a truck owner. Well nobody likes to be audited in the first place until and unless you have
- Poor CSA BASIC Scores
- A failed new entrant safety audit
- A major accident
- A complaint Investigation
To avoid DOT Compliance review you should follow DOT compliance regulations and requirements, this will help you to keep the FMCSA at a distance. These regulations and requirements can be categorized into two:
1. Fleet Compliance:
- Keep a hard copy of FMCSA rules and regulations
- Inspect vehicle before and after each trip and maintain a record of it
- Implement a vehicle maintenance plan and document everything
- Keep entry of any incidents on road with vehicle
2. Driver Compliance
- Each driver should carry a copy of FMCSA rules and make sure they have signed an agreement of following the regulations mentioned in it.
- Keep a tally of the qualification and safety history of each driver
- Keep a record of all hours of service for each driver
- Perform drug test of each driver before employment and also keep a record of any previous drug or alcohol abuse
- Perform surprise drug tests of all drivers regularly and document all results
- Conduct drug and alcohol tests of all trainers and supervisors as per DOT regulations.
What if I failed DOT Compliance?
Failure to comply with DOT will lead to a devastating effect on the reputation of the company, and sanctions will apply to violators.
Let us explain the following consequences for failing to comply with DOT standards:
- Monetary Penalties and Fines: Monetary fines can range from a few dollars to over 100,000$ for violations of hazardous materials regulations.
- Cancellation of Operating Authority: Cancellation of Operating authority will immediately suspend your trucking operation.
- Harm to company’s reputation: Revocation of operating authority will affect the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) Score and impact on the CSA score will affect the company’s Inspection Selection System (ISS) and the ability to qualify for a weigh station bypass program.
But don’t worry these failures can be avoided by giving Compliance Training to the staff.
What is Compliance Training?
Compliance training helps to educate the drivers of the company to be aware of the basics of FMCSA. To make a robust program for compliance training, the following elements should be kept intact:
- How Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) score will impact the business
- Understanding SMS (Safety Measurement System)
- CDL requirements
- Drug and alcohol testing
- DOT regulations for Trucking operations
- Hours of Service
- Driver Qualification
- And much more
But how to Bypass DOT compliance?
To pass the DOT compliance you need to be ready with some documents which can be expected from FMCSA:
- Drivers license
- Hazardous Materials
- Vehicle Safety
- Accident and Injury record
DOT Compliance is an important aspect of running the trucking industry. Running your business and drivers in compliance can be a complicated and hectic task, but DOT Compliance Group will take care of your compliance by easing the burden of regulatory requirements and paperwork so that you can focus on your business and run it efficiently.
With our number of training programs like Hours of Service, Alcohol & Drug Testing, Compliance Training, and many more you can keep your vehicles on the road and in compliance.
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