DOT Audits & Assessments

Identify Safety & Compliance Risks

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The best time to audit your fleet and assess its safety and compliance performance is before the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does. By proactively identifying compliance gaps and safety risks, you can take meaningful action that keeps your drivers safe and significantly reduces your risk.

Our proprietary diagnostic audit and assessment services provide an objective review of your policies, procedures, roles and responsibilities from highly experienced DOT consultants. They’ll identify your compliance gaps, tell you which areas require the most attention, and explain how to make improvements that show good faith in the event of an audit or litigation. All services include a written summary report of our findings.

Our Most Popular DOT Audits & Assessments:

Needs Assessment

If you need help establishing a DOT Compliance Program, or need to establish a compliance program ahead of a new DOT entrant audit, consider our “Needs Assessment”!

Get a clear understanding of your regulatory responsibilities — whether across your organization or in a targeted area — so you can put an effective safety & compliance program in place. We’ll analyze your operations, including applicable DOT regulations along with any written policies, safety procedures, employee training, fleet legalization, driver qualification, and more. Then we’ll provide detailed recommendations for the specific steps to build your program.

DOT Diagnostic Audit & Assessment

Through this service, we'll perform an objective onsite, third-party audit of over 550 safety and compliance areas. Based on the results of that proprietary evaluation, you will receive an overall J. J. Keller® Performance Rating, the key indicator of the effectiveness of your safety & compliance program and a benchmark for future performance. You’ll also be given a complete report of your diagnostic audit and assessment, details of the individual scores, recommendations for making short- and long-term improvements, and the guidance of J. J. Keller's regulatory specialists.

DOT Audit Support Services

If your fleet receives notice of a DOT audit or an intervention under the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program, we will assist you to ensure the best possible outcome. Your dedicated transportation consultant will prepare your records and documentation and advise you throughout the process. We’ll also help you prevent future audits and interventions by developing a sustainable compliance program customized just for you.

Audit services include a DOT New Entrant Safety Audit if you’re part of FMCSA’s new Entrant Program, a DOT Compliance Review if you’re selected for a Compliance Review or other investigation, and a Safety Upgrade Request if you’re operating with a Conditional or Unsatisfactory Rating and want to submit a formal rating increase request.

Motorcoach & Bus Safety Compliance Assessments

Our onsite compliance assessment provides a comprehensive review of your company’s passenger-carrying DOT program. An experienced consultant will audit your documentation, talk with your key staff, identify areas for improvement and provide written recommendations. We specifically evaluate the target areas identified by the FMCSA 2012 Motorcoach Safety Action Plan (MSAP), including driver fatigue/hours of service, driver behavior, vehicle maintenance, operator oversight, crash avoidance measures and occupant protection.

Hazardous Materials Compliance Assessment

We’ll review your company’s hazardous materials and dangerous goods transportation program in the areas of US Ground (DOT 49 CFR 172700), air (IATA), ocean (IMDG) or Canada Ground (TDG) by evaluating your compliance with domestic and/or international shipping/transportation regulations and advise you of any compliance gaps. You’ll receive a detailed summary of our findings, along with recommendations for improving your program.

FMCSA Compliance Needs Assessment

If you’re looking to establish a DOT safety & compliance program, we’ll asses your fleet operation, including the types of travel you do, the cargo you haul, the industry you’re in, and the related risks and requirements, then provide you with guidance on exactly what elements you need in place for an effective program.

FREE WHITEPAPER

Carrier Risk Review Service

Many shippers and brokers think that by using a third-party motor carrier, they’re not liable for that carrier’s vehicle accidents or violations. But it’s not true. Through "vicarious liability, " if your company hires a third-party, it’s liable and responsible for knowing the status of their motor carrier fitness prior to hiring them.

This service provides and expert DOT consultant who will analyze all available DOT data of your potential third-party carriers and deliver a risk assessment of each so you can make the safest choice possible.

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FREE Resource

Transportation 101 Whitepaper

Are you new to the trucking industry or recently appointed as a Safety Manager? Or perhaps you're a seasoned professional looking to enhance your operational practices? Check out this FREE resource!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Your scores in our compliance audit, safety management assessment, CSA performance review and best practice evaluation feed this overall rating. It indicates your fleet’s current safety & compliance performance. We’ll use it to benchmark your company against other organizations, compare performance among facilities, and track your program’s progress.

We can help you with DOT new entrant safety audits, DOT compliance reviews, focused onsite or offsite investigations, and even safety upgrade requests. If you’ve already undergone your audit and need help with your corrective action plan, we can help you make this process much easier. Your consultant will look at each violation (acute and critical), consider the contributing factors to each violation, and determine what action has happened and what needs to happen.

If you perform poorly in an audit, you may experience monetary fines and be given either an unsatisfactory or conditional rating. An unsatisfactory safety rating can put your company out of service, and even out of business.

All new interstate motor carriers are part of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) New Entrant Program for 18 months following registration and receipt of a USDOT number. For new entrants to be granted permanent operating authority, they must operate for 18 months and pass a safety audit (or implement a corrective action plan to address issues). Like all carriers, new entrants continue to be monitored through the CSA program, even after being granted permanent authority.

A Conditional rating means indicates that motor carrier fails to have proper the safety management controls in place to maintain compliance with the safety fitness standard found in §385.5 of the FMCSRs.

I'd like to learn more!

Talk with a compliance specialist today at 844-803-0172 or fill out the form and we'll get in contact with you.

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