Time to Go Through your DOT Compliance Checklist

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Allen Campbell

Making sure that all the points in the DOT compliance checklist are covered is part of running a trucking company. Also, if your business conducts state-to-state commerce, then it’s important to remember that the government requires you to comply with both the CDL and drug and alcohol checklists. Here’s a look at the major portions of each.

CDL List

You must have a copy of the current Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules in your office or place of business. In addition, each of your drivers must receive a copy of the rules, and sign both a receipt and agreement to comply with the regulations.
You must make sure that all of your drivers familiarize themselves with parts 40, 380, 382, 383, 387, 390-397, and part 399, subchapter B, chapter three, title 49 of the federal regulations code.
You must complete both pre- and post-trip inspections of all your vehicles and document that you have done so in writing.
You must keep up-to-date qualification records and safety performance histories for each of your drivers.
You must document each driver’s hours of service. CDL drivers may not need to complete a log grid if they never drive further than 100 miles from the terminal, but the company must keep records of their hours.
You must create a regular vehicle maintenance program and make sure that it’s followed.
In case of an accident involving one of your company vehicles, you must keep thorough records of the incident in a register.
You must ensure that all of your vehicles are marked with their respective DOT numbers.
You must comply with commercial motor vehicle (CMV) entry-level driver training requirements.

DOT FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Compliance Checklist

It’s important to make sure you’re following this DOT compliance checklist, as the DOT has stepped up enforcement of its rules regarding drug and alcohol abuse, including roadside checks. Serious civil and criminal penalties may be applied to you or to any of your drivers who violate these rules. For this reason, make sure that you’ve covered all the following bases:

Ensuring that all your drivers have copies of the DOT policies.
Keeping the results of pre-employment drug tests for all your drivers on file.
Making sure that drivers are not allowed to perform safety-sensitive tasks, including delivering loads, until and unless their drug tests have been returned and are confirmed to be negative.
Checking with your driver’s former employers as to whether the driver had any drug or alcohol problems while employed, and keeping records of the findings on file in your office.
Putting all of your drivers in a random drug/alcohol testing pool. Remember, this pool must be separate from any pool you maintain for non-driver employees.
Conducting random drug testing of at least 50% of your drivers each year.
Randomly checking at least 10% of your drivers for alcohol abuse each year.
Making sure that these checks occur immediately after the drivers are notified that the tests will take place.
Having all supervisors complete the training program required by the DOT.
Immediately removing any driver in violation of DOT regulations from safety-sensitive duties.
Referring those drivers to approved substance abuse programs.
Ensuring that all required records relating to drug and alcohol regulations are on file and can be retrieved at any time.

Sound Like a Lot to Remember?

That’s because it is. These regulations are only a small part of what you must stay on top of when you run a trucking firm. That’s why you need the best truckers’ software on the market: Trucking Office. Take it for a free 30-day test drive and find out for yourself how great it is. You don’t even need to give us a credit card or checking account number!

Fleet Maintenance Software: What the Inspector Looks For

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Allen Campbell

Fleet maintenance software is essential for today’s trucking owners and operators. It helps you keep your rig in top shape at all times, saving you both costly fines and big repair bills. While we’re on the subject of “costly fines,” though, let’s talk a bit about what parts of a commercial vehicle should be inspected prior to a run. These are things an inspector might look for if you are stopped, so you should look them over yourself beforehand. This is a partial list, intended to provide an overview; a full checklist can be found here.

Front of Vehicle

Lights and reflectors – make sure they’re in good working order.
Mirrors should be clear and adjusted as needed.

Engine Compartment

Oil level – in addition to checking the level, look for signs of water, bubbles, or other impurities.
Coolant level – should meet manufacturer’s recommendations. Also check the coolant for contaminants or discolorations.
Power steering fluid – check level and condition.
Water pump – make sure all bolts are tight and hoses show no signs of cracks or other damage.
Alternator – Bolts should be tight and belts in good shape.

Steering

Inspect linkage, hoses, and steering box.

Front Wheels

Check tires for proper inflation, as well as any signs of damage or unusual wear patterns.

Inspect rims, hub oil seals, and lug nuts. Make sure everything is tight and in good shape.

Front Suspension

Examine shocks, springs, spring mounts, and u-bolts.

Front Brakes

Inspect brake lines and/or hoses for cracks, loose fittings, or other danger signs.

Under the Vehicle

Give the drive shaft, frame, and exhaust system a close visual inspection. Any cracked or hanging components should be tended to immediately.

Rear Axles

Examine the tires, lug nuts, rims, spacers, and hub oil seals.

Rear of Vehicle

Lights, reflectors, and splashguards should all be in good working order.

Front of Trailer

Check the header board/bulkhead, reflectors, and lights.

Side of Trailer

Inspect the landing gear, reflectors, lights, doors, ties, lifts, frame, and frame and tandem release.

Trailer Wheels

Check tires, lug nuts, rims, spacers, and hub oil seals.

Tractor Coupling System

Inspect the following components:

Platform
Mounting bolts
Release arm and safety latch
Lever/locking arms
5th wheel skid plate

Trailer Coupling System

Check the drawbar or tongue, safety devices, mounting bolts, and sliding pintle.

DOT Numbers

The DOT uses these numbers to identify specific commercial vehicles and gather information for inspections and audits. There are no rules specifying where these numbers must be placed, but the usual locations are either on the cab or the doors. The numbers should stand out against the truck’s background color. Black numbers, for example, will show up well against a white background. The numbers should be large enough to be read without difficulty from a distance of 50 feet.

What Commercial Vehicle Inspectors (CVIs) Look For

Aside from making sure that tractor-trailers are within weight limits, state troopers and DOT officials typically check for the following things:

Worn or damaged tires
Cracked, oil-soaked, or excessively worn brake linings
Cracked frames
Fuel leaks

These officials will also always check to make sure you have a current CDL. It’s amazing to think that drivers would try to get by without a valid license, but some do make the attempt—don’t be one of them!

TruckingOffice: The Best Choice for Fleet Maintenance Software

Using TruckingOffice is like having a full-time secretary who never calls in sick or takes breaks. It handles maintenance, dispatch, fuel tax, and countless other things with the click of a mouse, giving you more time to do the thing that actually puts money in your pocket—hauling loads! Take it for a free 30-day test drive and we’re sure you’ll agree. We won’t even ask for a checking account or credit card; simplify your office and start making your trucking company more successful today!

Electronic Logbooks for Truck Drivers: A Controversial Topic

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Allen Campbell

Logbooks for truck drivers have been a source of controversy for decades. Originally meant to ensure that drivers were alert and well rested when behind the wheel, some people contend that they have just the opposite effect, encouraging truckers to falsify records and/or use illegal drugs to stay awake longer. How widespread such abuses are is a matter of debate. Due to the move towards electronic logging methods, however, such concerns may soon become a thing of the past.

Electronic logging programs work along with GPS systems to record hours of service (HOS) records automatically. They include start times, days on duty, the amount of drive time since the last rest period, cumulative drive times within an 8-day period, and total distance covered within a 24-hour period. Sleeper berth and off-duty times are also recorded.

This data is recorded and transmitted through a message display terminal (MDT) that is located in the cab. A simple push of a button sends it off through a wireless network to computers for storage. The information includes the driver’s name, which vehicle he or she is operating, the trailer number, and the freight company.

Of course, not everyone is happy with the move towards electronic logbooks. Organizations that represent owner-operators, for example, complain that requiring drivers to use them will impose unfair financial burdens on small business people, who are already struggling due to the slow economy. Others are taking a different approach, claiming to have figured out ways to tamper with the devices that would allow drivers to ignore mandatory DOT rest and mileage rules.

Despite these efforts, it appears that the old-fashioned paper logbook will soon go the way of the milkman and the Model T. Most major carriers are already using electronic logbooks, and Uncle Sam requires that carriers with a history of safety violations must install them on their trucks.

Will electronic logbooks for truck drivers lead to a new era of safe driving, or are they just another expensive government mandate that will do little good? The debate is far from over. One thing that’s beyond debate, however, is the fact that TruckingOffice is the best software for professional drivers on the market period; TruckingOffice can handle your dispatches, invoices, IFTA records, expense tracking, and maintenance. Take our free 30-day test drive and see for yourself!

How Federal DOT Regulations Affect Safety

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Allen Campbell

Federal DOT regulations require that trucking company owners have a program to inspect and maintain every truck in their fleet, whether they have one or 1,000. Understanding what’s expected is an important part of running a successful business. Here’s what the DOT says you must do:

Keep records of all inspections, repairs, and maintenance
Keep on top of DVIRs from all your drivers
Periodically inspect all vehicles in your fleet
Make sure that the drivers and safety technicians are doing their part in inspecting and maintaining the trucks

3 Steps to Successful Preventative Maintenance

There are three things a fleet owner and/or manager must know to ensure proper maintenance of his or her rigs:

1. Exactly what must be lubricated, checked, and adjusted

2. How often this must be done to comply with regulations

3. When truck components must be either rebuilt or replaced

Truck and tire manufacturers will provide you with the information you need to know for these three steps. But it’s up to you to make sure that the work is done right and on time. For example, keeping an eye on tires is crucial. Non-steering axle tires generally need replacing when or before they are down to 6/32” of tread. Failing to stay on top of these issues can not only get you in trouble with the DOT, it can also compromise the safety of other drivers and make you a target of attorneys looking to cash in on accidents involving big rigs.

TruckingOffice Can Help

Our easy-to-use software can help you to make sure that roadside inspections, regular maintenance, and parts replacement tasks are performed on time before equipment failure occurs. We invite you to try TruckingOffice for free, and find out for yourself how much easier it can make running your business. Click here to start your free trial!

Why It’s Important to Use Trucking Maintenance Software

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Allen Campbell

If you’re wondering why you need trucking maintenance software, then take just a second to do a search on Google for “18 wheeler accidents.” You’ll find page after page of law firms across the country that specialize in suing fleet owners or single truck owner-operators. Those attorneys make a very good living taking folks like you to court.

In a way, though, you can’t blame them. Lack of big rig maintenance is a huge factor in hundreds of highway accidents every year. There are so many things that can contribute to an 18-wheeler becoming a safety hazard. Cracked brake hoses, loose suspension parts, and worn tires are just three of the dozens of things that require checking on a regular basis.

As you know, the DOT requires you to keep strict records of all maintenance you do on your rig(s). But did you know that little things could be costing you big bucks? For example, improperly inflated tires create more road drag, making your MPGs drop and hitting you right in the wallet. With the cost of fuel these days, you need to save every penny you can.

That’s why you should strongly consider using TruckingOffice’s trucking maintenance software. It takes the guesswork out of maintenance tasks. You’ll know at a glance if it’s time for a safety inspection, oil change, or other work. Maintenance will get done on time, every time. Not only will this save you money and keep you and other drivers safe, it will fulfill DOT requirements and give you evidence to back up your side of the story, should you end up in court.

You can take a tour of our software for free. See just how much easier TruckingOffice can make running your business! Then contact us to see how easy it is to use and install. We look forward to earning your business!

Tips for Your FMCSA Compliance Review

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Allen Campbell

Although acing a FMCSA compliance review is not totally possible, these reviews are easier if trucking company owners and managers are fully prepared. The purpose of these reviews is to keep roadways safe by making sure drivers and trucks are competent. Therefore, the primary focus is on the drivers, trucks and company procedures. Five tips to making your FMCSA compliance review easier include keeping drivers’ information and qualifications, hours of service, controlled substances and alcohol testing, vehicle maintenance and accident reports current. Using our specially designed software for transportation companies makes sure you have the required information right at your fingertips.

Nine Steps of a FMCSA Compliance Review

When a compliance officer arrives, he or she conducts an opening interview with the owner. Necessary staff is interviewed, and accident reports for the last 12 months are reviewed. This inspection checks financial responsibility and vehicle maintenance. Information on drivers and hazard material procedures are assessed. After checking hours of service, the closing interview is conducted. Businesses are informed of the results within 60 days for a satisfactory rating and within 45 days for conditional or unsatisfactory ratings.

Relaxing Through This Process

If you have TruckingOffice, our software for transportation companies, you’re already prepared for your FMCSA compliance review. With this simple, easy process, information is only entered once. The program automatically transfers data to necessary records. When a driver is hired, all that information is input. The computer automatically updates all records; when a driver takes a load cross-country, the original order tracks the driver’s miles and hours of service. If the driver has the brakes fixed on the trunk in Tennessee, that information goes on the truck maintenance log when the repair charge is posted. Having all of this information centralized and easily accessible helps to put your compliance officer at ease, since it’s obvious that you manage your company well. TruckingOffice also tracks income and expenses, and can be used to calculate taxes.

The easiest way to survive your FMCSA compliance review is to have the required information available. Complete records on drivers, test results, maintenance and accident reports are vital. After all, safety is the number one concern of everyone involved!

Get your free trial!

Safety Tips for Truck Drivers

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Staff

By using nine good motoring habits, truckers can continue to ride the highways in a safe manner. After all, no one wants to add the information of a truck accident to their financial or DOT records, even if they have easy-to-use, online truck expense management software.

9 Safety Tips for Truck Drivers

1. Get enough rest. If you feel drowsy, pull over and take a nap. Don’t risk driving while sleepy.

2. Slow down in work zones. Lanes are often moved or redirected during construction; adjust your speed so you can follow the provided signage without endangering yourself, other drivers, or the workers.

3. Be aware of your blind spots. Small cars can be easily missed. Signal your intention to change lanes or turn well in advance, so that cars have enough opportunity to get out of your blind spot. You might also invest in extra side mirrors to improve visibility.

4. Maintain a safe distance from the cars in front of you. It will take you much longer to stop than an average car.

5. Regularly check your brakes. There isn’t always a convenient runaway truck ramp nearby to catch you if your brakes go bad.

6. Follow suggested speed limits.

7. Avoid aggressive drivers. This will help you fulfill tip #6. Don’t get caught up in road rage scenarios; antagonizing aggressive drivers will only escalate the situation.

8. Always, always, always wear your seat belt.

9. Beware of the effects of prescription and OTC drugs; many medications make you drowsy.

By making these suggestions habits, truckers can avoid getting personally acquainted with highway patrolman, accident lawyers, insurance auditors and DOT representatives. Instead, these dedicated freight movers will enjoy the camaraderie of other truck drivers, rest stop acquaintances and happy freight companies.

Trucking Industry Statistics

Over the past two decades, truck accidents have increased 20% and 1 truck driver out of 20 is involved in an accident every year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration claims that driver errors cause 10 times more accidents than any other reason. Action or inaction is credited for 88% of collisions. In a report the FMCSA released in 2006, the top four causes of these mishaps were prescription drug use (26%), traveling too fast (23%), unfamiliar roads (22%) and over-the-counter drug use (18%). According to these trucking industry statistics, even something as innocent and commonly used as cough syrup impacts drivers’ reactions.

The best way to avoid becoming part of these trucking industry statistics is to be alert, be aware and be conservative. Drivers have their hands full handling the tons of equipment and cargo they move. By adopting these nine safety tips for truck drivers, they can avoid becoming the 1 in 20 drivers with an accident on his or her record.

How to Ace the DOT Safety Audit

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Allen Campbell

Fleet operators can spend their time keeping trucks rolling or dealing with the complex and confusing DOT Safety Audit requirements. Of course, every operator knows what happens if trucks or businesses do not comply or pass: bye-bye business! There is an easy way and a hard way to deal with these endless government oversights. Trucking operators can do it by hand, or they can use an amazing, inexpensive software system to handle minute details. Specially designed trucking software makes life easier by tracking business, managing schedules and compiling reports to help you improve your DOT Safety Audit compliance.

What DOT Safety Audit Software Does

Excellent truck dispatch software tracks each vehicle, driver and cargo from the time the order is placed until the trailer is delivered. Not only does this easy-to-use system create invoices, it also tracks the mileage in individual states and drivers. Required maintenance, safety checks and trucking fees are automatically loaded into the program; to-do reminders reduce unwelcome surprises and heavy-duty tickets and fines to make complying with the DOT rules and regulations easier than ever. Required information includes federal tax ID numbers, gross revenue for the last financial year, total fleet mileage for the last 365 days, proof of insurance and a complete list of all drivers who operated vehicles 26,000 GVW and above. Drivers’ information is detailed with the dates of hire and termination, driver’s license number and the issuing state, as well as the results of random drug tests. Some trucking managers spend hours assembling all of the required documents; they locate files, copy information, calculate mileage and verify the data. With the right software program, though, all of the information for your DOT safety audit and more can be accessed and printed out with just a few clicks of the mouse.

DOT Safety Audit representatives are more likely to trust information that is obviously well organized and maintained. After all, TruckingOffice’s truck dispatch software manages financial records as well. Every time cargo is delivered, there is an accurate record of mileage, driver, income, and expenses, including maintenance items and truck repairs. This data is easy to locate quickly and can be printed with the click of a button. Best of all, businesses can verify all information provided.

Tips for Getting through Trucking Authority Auditing: Expense Management Software

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Allen Campbell

It’s a long, long road to receive your interstate trucking authority license, and like finding a needle in a haystack you can lose it in a fraction of the time you took to get it. New, stricter regulations from the IFTA have meant that, regardless of the size of your fleet, you can guarantee you’ll get audited at some point. Safety and accurate financial information are expected during any audit, so using expense management software can ensure a successful inspection. We know how much work trucking companies put into obtaining their Interstate Authority license, so we’ve compiled a few hints and a little direction to help you keep it.

If you’re just about to start, or are already in the process, you should know that the red tape of licensing requires about five to seven weeks to get through. Some states impose some higher standards and regulations, which can take even longer. Once your fees are paid, paperwork approved, and fleet registered, you’re able to drive cargo throughout the nation, but the expectations and standards remain high. Almost immediately, you have to complete a New Entrant Safety Audit. Unlike financial audits that really need expense management software, this procedure appraises different standards, and maintaining an accurate driving log book for each employee will help you pass.

Though this safety audit will technically occur anytime within the first 18 months of operation, it can usually be expected in the first three to six. They’re conducted at the carrier’s main base of operations, and they review everything from driver qualifications, driver duty status, accident registry, vehicle maintenance, and tests for controlled substances and alcohol use. This all-encompassing review, conducted quite suddenly, can be terrifying to even the most vigilant of companies. Making sure your employees maintain their driving log book, though, can relieve a lot of the stress. These books are required, and if completed accurately they’ll contain most of the information auditors require—and will demonstrate your company’s compliance to Trucking Authority regulations.

The financial audit, however, can prove even more arduous for a company, which makes expense management software all but essential to a successful inspection. Retaining your Interstate Authority license is conditional on obeying federal and international tax laws. When you’re audited, there’s a huge scope of information and data you’re expected to provide—more than just the entries required for a driving log book. Paid hours, fuel tax reports, expense reports, and every other financial record must all be conjured up and presented in an orderly series of paperwork. Unless you have a strong background in accounting or previous work experience with the IRS, this responsibility can be daunting. One of the best tips for surviving these audits is to make an easy investment in expense management software. Having a database for entering this information streamlines the process tremendously—especially when compared to old bookkeeping and record storage. Once the software is learned and implemented throughout the company, tax reports and pay stubs are at the fingertips of any manager. Financial audits will follow safety audits, and when they do, you’ll be prepared if everything is ordered and digitally available.

Fuel Taxes By State: A Comparison

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Allen Campbell

A few years back, when gasoline prices were hitting the four-dollar mark for the first time ever, some grassroots movements began campaigning to remove fuel taxes to alleviate citizens. For some people, this was the first time they’d heard of a tax on gasoline and other fuels; for anyone in the transportation industry, it was old news. The Federal Gas Tax is set at 18.4 cents per gallon. Levied on gasoline that’s already $4.23 a gallon, the federal tax seems a bit insignificant, but additional fuel taxes by state vary widely. In no state do taxes create the bulk of the cost, but for truckers, it can help to know where the prices will be higher.

Alaska pays its citizens to remain citizens, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that it imposes the least significant fuel taxes by state in the nation: eight cents per gallon on gasoline and diesel, with less on marine and aviation vehicles. On the other side of the country, the Northeast sees some of the highest taxes: 32 cents per gallon on gasoline in New York, 35 on diesel in Pennsylvania. California has a reputation for high gas prices, but just looking at its numbers, 18 cents per gallon on both major fuels, this seems marginal—even lower than most states. Its reputation, though, stems from invisible additions. Every fill up costs at least an extra 7.25% in sales tax (plus local impositions), which most states ignore for fuels, and a 1.2 cents per gallon state UST fee. When filling up a huge truck, those extra percentages can really add up, which explains the high cost of driving through the state. A few other states have secret costs, but California imposes the most.