DOT Checklist

DOT stands for The Department of Transportation and it regularly checks companies if they comply with all the rules and regulations. Every company can go through an audit process on any given day of the year so it’s very important to always be ready for these audits. DOT with the help of the Safety Measurement System checks companies for violations and companies with fewer violations have the lowest risk of being audited.

Here is the list of DOT audits:

New entrant audit.

It’s a type of audit for new companies that haven’t yet received the DOT number. It takes from 3 to 6 months to receive a DOT number.

Security audit

It includes driver training, your safety plan, and security measures.

Hazardous materials audit

For this audit DOT will check your policy, shipping documentation, labeling of hazardous materials, and training.

Compliance review

You will need the following papers and documents in case of an audit:

A current copy of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR)
An up-to-date MCS-90 form showing liability insurance coverage that meets the limit required for your operation to protect you in the event of a company vehicle collision
A written program/policy for drug and alcohol use and testing
A summary of all drug and alcohol testing conducted in the past calendar year, along with the current status of any drivers who tested positive
Motor vehicle records (MVRs) on all new and rehired drivers
A copy of pre-employment drug tests for all drivers
Proof that all drivers hold a current commercial drivers license (CDL)
Six months of completed driver logs on all drivers
At least 14 months of valid annual inspections for all operating commercial motor vehicle equipment
Complete maintenance records
A current DOT security plan
90 days of post-trip inspection reports for each commercial vehicle in which defects have been found