New Entrants

If you're like other companies that are considering or have just recently obtained a USDOT number, you probably have a million questions about DOT regulations and what it takes to ensure your company stays in compliance with those regulations. There's a lot to learn, to be sure, and the consequences of non-compliance can be severe. However, achieving compliance and a sufficient working knowledge of the regulations is possible and doesn't have to be a pain!

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There are some things you should know at the start, including that all "new entrants" (i.e., those that apply for a new interstate USDOT number) will have to pass a new entrant safety audit within the first 12 months of obtaining that number. While these audits are fairly cursory in nature, they will test your knowledge and record keeping in certain key areas of the federal motor carrier safety regulations, including driver qualification, hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and drug/alcohol testing (if applicable). If you fail the new entrant audit, you will have to opportunity to correct your deficiencies and demonstrate compliance to the DOT. 

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Bringing yourself up-to-speed in these primary areas early on is important. And ensuring that you have compliant driver, vehicle, and drug/alcohol testing (if applicable) files in place is key. Trucksafe Consulting not only provides personalized consulting services to help you understand your obligations and develop your files, but has also done much of the work for you by creating and curating a library of educational materials and compliance documents that are available to you online at your convenience. Contact us to discuss how we can help!