Happy DOT Compliance Service Customer

6 Reasons Why Successful Trucking Companies Use a DOT Compliance Service

DOT compliance service companies help trucking businesses and drivers navigate critical policies, procedures, and paperwork to keep your trucking business in compliance. The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) set rules to govern all aspects of commercial vehicles to ensure the safety of drivers and the general public. All commercial vehicles that must be registered with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and display a USDOT Number must comply with DOT regulatory compliance requirements.

If those requirements are not met, trucking businesses can face steep fines and be disqualified from commercially driving altogether. A DOT Compliance Service helps to make sure that doesn’t happen. Here are six big reasons why you should join other successful trucking companies and work with one:

1. A Managed Compliance Service Gives you Years of Experience Immediately

The compliance specialists with DOT compliance services have worked with tens of thousands of trucking companies to help legally start businesses and ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. DOT compliance service specialists actively manage compliance for trucking companies across the country.

2. Trust and Peace of Mind

When you contract with a DOT compliance service, you’ll get the trust and peace of mind that your compliance paperwork is completed correctly and on time, including:

State and Federal Compliance Assistance

Successful trucking company owners know that a DOT compliance service helps them stay on top of, and meet, all of the requirements set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and ensures they are compliant with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR.) DOT compliance standards are updated continuously and differ significantly from state to state. The risk of accidental non-compliance can lead to steep fines and possibly the loss of business.

With a managed compliance services partner, trucking company owners receive consultation, guidance, and support with both state and federal compliance issues, including:

State DOT Compliance Issues

3. A DOT Compliance Service Saves You Administration Time and Money

Hiring a DOT compliance service, as needed, is cheaper than hiring full-time human resources and compliance employees. A DOT compliance service saves you valuable business administration time so you can spend more time on growing your business and on the road driving.

FMCSA Driver Compliance Services

Get help navigating the driver qualification process to avoid fines or costly delays. 

Using an electronic records system that helps you make more informed hiring decisions, an FMCSA compliance service with an authorized Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) account works with you to help make better hiring decisions. The FMCSA Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) provides secure, electronic access to a commercial driver’s five-year crash and three-year inspection history.

The Driver Qualification File (law requirements 49 CFR Part 391), or DQF, is an FMCSA requirement that trucking companies must meet for every driver. Driver Qualification File requirements are required to pass an FMCSA safety audit, and some states have additional requirements. A good FMCSA compliance service guides you through this Driver Qualification File process step-by-step.

If the vehicle your driver is operating requires a commercial driver’s license, drug and alcohol testing is required by law. A Managed Compliance Service can provide all services related to DOT drug and alcohol testing and program management to help you pass your safety audit and stay in compliance at all times, including serving as your Third-Party Administrator (TPA).

Speaking of drug and alcohol testing, the FMCSA requires all trucking companies and drivers to enroll in the DOT Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. The DOT tracks drivers who have tested positive for drugs or alcohol or refused to take a drug and/or alcohol test when required. As an employer, you’ll use these DOT Clearinghouse accounts to run queries on your prospective and current employees and report violations. A DOT compliance service can help your company through the process of both creating your company account as well as linking your account to your managed compliance service as your TPA.

4. Hiring a Compliance Service Avoids Costly Mistakes

Incorrectly filling out DOT applications can lead the DOT to reject your applications. A mistake that will cost you time and money while you correct the errors and refile them. Meanwhile, your company can lose valuable business.

A DOT compliance service knows how to get the necessary forms filled out accurately the first time. A DOT compliance service also ensures everything is in order and that all DOT materials are submitted in a timely manner. An FMCSA compliance service can take care of the smallest of safety compliance details while you focus on keeping your trucks moving. See reason number one above.

5. DOT Compliance Specialists Avoid Costly Fines

A DOT compliance service helps trucking companies avoid steep fines or costly suspensions. Trucking companies that can’t prove DOT compliance can be subject to fines and other penalties. The amount of these fines can range from several hundred dollars for minor violations to hundreds of thousands of dollars for severe violations like breaking hazardous materials regulations laws. Having a DOT compliance specialist on your side will ensure you avoid costly missteps and maintain profitability.

6. Compliance Monitoring Keeps you Up to Date

In the trucking industry, failure to comply with Federal and State regulations can have a disastrous effect on your bottom line. DOT compliance standards are updated continuously and differ significantly from state to state. Remaining compliant is clearly in the best interest of every owner operator, but it can be confusing, overwhelming, and time-consuming.

With Compliance Monitoring, you’ll have a dedicated compliance manager who has made it their business to take care of yours. They’ll keep up-to-date with quarterly tax requirements, permitting, driver compliance issues, biennial updates, and more.

Let Transportation Compliance Service Be Your DOT Compliance Service Specialists

Working with our FMCSA/DOT compliance service specialists, you’ll have access to a vast amount of experience and knowledge to help navigate your filings and updates. We’ll help keep your trucking business compliant and operating successfully. Let our DOT Compliance Services do the heavy lifting. We’ll focus on eliminating your compliance issues, while you stay focused on delivering for your customers and growing your business.

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