DOT compliance refers to meeting all regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), including driver qualifications, vehicle safety, hours-of-service, drug and alcohol testing, and required registrations and filings.

Yes. CNS helps carriers identify compliance gaps, correct violations, improve CSA scores, and implement corrective actions designed to reduce out-of-service risk.

Yes. CNS assists new authorities with USDOT and MC number registration, compliance setup, and ongoing regulatory management from day one.

Please visit SAPlist.com to find a Substance Abuse Provider. After you have gone through the Substance Abuse Program, we can help you with follow-up drug testing.

It depends. The answer is yes if you operate a vehicle outside of a 150 air-mile radius, more than 8 days in a 30-day rolling period. And if your truck engine year is 2000 or newer, you then would be required to have an ELD. There would be a few other exemptions depending on your cargo.

A conditional rating can affect carriers in a lot of ways. Conditional carriers can immediately see less work from brokers, or even be restricted from future loads, while more long-term effects are higher rates for insurance at renewal and new driver prospects may completely avoid applying for a job with your company.

Learn about a Safety Rating Upgrade from a conditional to unsatisfactory rating

If you hold a valid IFTA license, it is imperative to submit a quarterly report by the month’s end following each calendar quarter (January, April, July, and October). This requirement applies even if your truck did not operate during the period. Failing to file on time incurs penalties and interest charges, which can escalate the tax bill significantly. Missing a quarter’s filing could lead to suspension or revocation of your license, necessitating additional reinstatement fees. Failure to pay taxes owed may also result in the inability to renew the IFTA permit for the upcoming year. Compliance with these regulations demands careful attention and diligence.

Learn more about Fuel Taxes and IFTA

Yes. CNS provides DOT Clearinghouse registration, monitoring, reporting, and compliance management for owner-operators and fleets.

You can watch this video to understand the registration process.

Under 49 CFR 396.17, most CMVs must pass a periodic (annual) inspection every 12 months, including each unit in a combination vehicle (truck and trailer). Motor carriers must retain the inspection report (original or copy) for 14 months from the report date.

A qualified inspector is someone who has the knowledge and proficiency to inspect CMVs and identify defective components, including understanding the standards in Part 393 and Appendix G, and (when applicable) brake inspector qualifications/training. Carriers should maintain documentation that supports the inspector’s qualifications.

A safety rating upgrade request can take weeks to months depending on state processes and FMCSA workload. Some carriers experience multi-month timelines before an analyst reviews the submission, so it’s smart to submit quickly and keep documentation organized for follow-up requests.

Often, yes—if you can show proof of corrective action. Many brokers want documentation that you identified the issues, implemented fixes, and have a CAP in progress (or submitted). Having a clear CAP and supporting documents can help maintain freight opportunities while you work toward an upgrade.

We offer this as a professional service. It is the same idea as if you were to go to a hairstylist versus cutting your own hair. You can do it yourself and save some money, but is it going to look good after it’s done?

Starting a trucking business involves medical qualification, business registration, federal authority, insurance, and ongoing compliance. The core steps include obtaining a DOT medical card, registering your business, securing USDOT and MC numbers, purchasing required insurance, filing federal paperwork, enrolling in tax programs, and maintaining DOT compliance.

Yes. There are some differences when working with each state through their licensing services, but we are able to assist in most cases.

A DOT “recordable” accident includes an occurrence involving a commercial motor vehicle that results in (390.5 accident definition (1)):

• Fatality
• An injury requiring immediate medical attention away from the scene.
• 1 or more vehicles incurring disabling damage* as a result of the accident, requiring tow-away from the scene.

A DOT Recordable accident does not include (390.5 accident definition (2)):

• An occurrence involving only boarding and alighting from a stationary motor vehicle.
• An occurrence involving only loading and unloading of cargo.

A drug and alcohol test is only required for a reportable crash that involves the driver being issued a citation or if there is a fatality.

No, drug and alcohol tests are not required after every accident.

A CDL driver is required to take a post-accident drug test if:

• the accident results in one or more fatalities
• injury was incurred that required medical treatment away from the scene and the driver received a citation (Note: no citation = no drug and alcohol test)
• any vehicle is towed, and the driver received a citation (Note: no citation = no drug and alcohol test)

A drug test needs to be completed as soon as possible; however, it must be completed within 32 hours. At times there might be a delay in the issuance of a citation, however as long as the citation is issued with 32 hours, a drug and alcohol test is required.

If a citation is issued after the 8-hour mark, the motor carrier must make a note saying “a citation was not issued until this time, which was after the 8 hours for alcohol testing.”

A driver has 2 hours in which an alcohol test should be completed, however it must be completed within 8 hours. If the driver goes over the 2-hour mark, they must provide an explanation as to why there was a delay and the motor carrier must provide a written explanation and keep in their company files.

DataQs is FMCSA’s system for requesting corrections to inaccurate safety data in SMS/PSP—such as violations or crashes assigned to the wrong carrier/driver, duplicates, or missing/incorrect details. Carriers should use DataQs when they have evidence supporting a correction (inspection report numbers, crash reports, supporting documentation) because incorrect data can negatively impact CSA scores, insurance rates, and business opportunities while it remains on record.

CNS will prepare and represent you through an audit. If you already had an audit, we can represent you through a safety rating upgrade and help with associated fines as well.