Truckers and Travelers

 Hello, Fellow Drivers,  I have been looking at your searches recently and many of you have been needing information about DOT Compliance and the first DOT safety audit.  I wanted to pass along some helpful information that will give you success in preparing for and passing the DOT Safety Audit.    The “new name” for a trucking company that has just received their letter granting them operating authority is called a “New Entrant”.   After doing some research, I found these FAQ’s on the FMCSA website.  In researching this article, I could not find any “down-to-earth” information that would actually help a “New Entrant” understand what they had to have in place to confidently face this important aspect of your trucking business.    In Part Two,  I will go into more detail as to what your records should contain to pass the safety audit successfully.  Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there!

• Where will these safety audits be conducted?
  The safety audits will primarily be conducted on-site at the carrier’s principle place of business; however, some safety audits may be conducted at other locations.   A uniformed DOT officer will show up at your home office (whether in your home or elsewhere) in his blue and white DOT patrol car and conduct an audit of your records.  This audit will be conducted after you have received your letter from the FMCSA granting you operating authority.  Once you receive your MC number, you must wait for this letter to arrive in the mail before you can legally drive the roads.  However, your audit will be conducted AFTER you have received this letter.  
• When will safety audits be conducted?
  New entrant motor carriers can expect to start receiving safety audits 3-6 months after they are granted new entrant registration.  My safety audit occurred about three months after I was granted my own operating authority. 
• Why were these rules created?
  Congress required the FMCSA to establish minimum requirements for new motor carriers seeking federal interstate operating authority. These minimum requirements include having the carrier certify that it has systems in place to ensure compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and a safety audit conducted within the first 18 months of the carrier’s interstate operation.
• How will the safety audits be conducted?
  The safety audit will be conducted by a Safety Auditor and will consist of a review of the carrier’s management system. The areas of review include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Driver Qualifications 
• Driver Duty Status 
• Vehicle Maintenance 
• Accident Register, and
• Controlled Substances and Alcohol use and testing requirements.
• Will a safety audit result in a safety fitness determination by the FMCSA?
  No. Carriers will either pass or fail the safety audit, depending on their level of compliance and whether they have basic safety management controls in place. Safety fitness determinations of satisfactory, conditional, or unsatisfactory will only result from the completion of a compliance review.
• If a new entrant has a compliance review conducted, are they also subject to a safety audit?
  No. If the FMCSA conducts a compliance review, the new entrant will not also be subject to a safety audit. However, they are still subject to the 18-month safety- monitoring period.