The Department of Transportation, in a bid to ensure safety and road compliance, performs regular audits of vehicles. The DOT has a system that collects data from all weight stations and roadside inspections and uses it to assign scores to the carriers. They use the data collected to determine the companies to audit. In most cases, they audit the ones with a high number of violations.
The DOT does not inform a company of an impending audit. It is therefore important that you stay on the safe side of the law by keeping updated records. You must also keep accurate records to ensure they pass the audit.
Inspection checklist templates also come in handy to help you determine the performance of the vehicle, and the state of the important body parts like the engine, steering wheel, suspension, interior and exterior, tire, brakes, and other miscellaneous features.
It is also important that you understand the 6 levels of DOT Inspection and make sure you are prepared for each to avoid hitches in operations.
Types of DOT Audits
There are 4 different types of audits conducted by DOT:
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New entrant audit – This is for new vehicles who file for DOT for the first time. They are issued within three to six months after issuance of DOT number.
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Security audit – Determine the safety measures of the carrier. It looks into the driver training and qualification, and safety plans.
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Compliance review – This looks if a company is meeting the government regulations and safety standards put in place.
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Hazardous materials – Involves looking into shipping policies, materials involved, training and labeling of the materials in transit.
Documents Checklist
These are some important documents you need to have to ensure you pass a DOT inspection;
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Current MSc 90 form noting the insurance coverage for the operation.
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A current copy of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
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A written driver safety training program.
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Safety rewards/incentives program.
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Current accident register.
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Progressive disciplinary action system for drivers involved in accidents.
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Proof of all drivers holding a valid driver’s license.
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Six-month complete records of each driver logs.
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Complete and accurate records of the employment history of all the drivers.
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A written policy and program for alcohol and drug testing.
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Records of the past year drivers’ drug and alcohol test results with dispositions for the ones who test positive.
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The system used to control hours of service.
Examples of DOT Inspection Checklist to Download
There are several DOT Checklist Templates software you can download for use depending on your needs. They include;
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Vehicle Service Inspection Checklist Template – Covers important factors for vehicle inspection. It has information on year, model, mileage and customer name.
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Vehicle Pre-purchase Inspection Checklist Template – it is used for pre-car inspection immediately after purchase. Some information it covers are; plates, vehicle type, and general body parts conditions.
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Vehicle Inspection Checklist Template Free – This template is popular among drivers as it is provided for free. Drivers feel the information which is used as report after the inspection. The template contains information on the driver’s name, trailer no., odometer, and other external and internal defects.
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Vehicle Safety Inspection Checklist Template – It covers the car model. It includes information about the car owner and details. It records engine no., chassis no., year, body type, manufacturer, color, and any other important information.
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Used Vehicle Inspection Checklist Template.
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Multipoint Vehicle Inspection Checklist Template.
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Daily Vehicle Inspection Checklist Template.
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Driver Vehicle Inspection Checklist Template
Benefits of Using Digital DOT Inspection Checklist Template
Here are some advantages you will get by adopting the digital DOT checklist template;
Eliminating Human Error
Using Digital checklist template reduces human errors in the form of poor penmanship and incomplete answers.
A digital checklist marks all the boxes in a given sequence and will only allow you to submit the form after providing all the needed information. This ensures accuracy when completing the forms.
Some digital templates allow the inclusion of bar codes, RFID and images, which ensures more detailed and accurate entries as compared to traditional templates.
Easy to Update
Updating information on a digital checklist template form is easy as the administrator can easily access it on a server and is synchronized instantly to all the accessible devices. This allows easy access to the updated version anytime as needed.
Convenient to Carry Around
Unlike traditional paper and pen recording systems which requires one to carry a lot of papers that might be heavy and take up a lot of storage space, digital checklist templates are easy to move around. They are easily accessible in any single device making the inspection process easy and fast.
Better Compliance
The digital checklist template is set such that it marks all the fulfilled regulations and provisions. This helps you and the inspector to identify the non compliant areas easily. You can then proceed to take the required actions fast enough.
Improve Operation Efficiency
A company needs reliable data to ensure efficient operations. The company can obtain the inspection report within seconds from the digital checklist template detailing the health of the equipment, with suggestions on how to improve on it.
Filling the digital templates reduces administration costs and costly decisions caused by poor data quality. The accurate data obtained from the digital templates are also useful in helping to establish a maintenance routine.
Helps in Saving the Environment
Other than saving time, digital checklist templates provide a platform for paperless entries which helps in saving the environment.
Saves Money
It is costly to operate paper-based inspection forms. There is a lot to purchase recurrently from logbooks to pens and other needs.
Digital templates also help in cost saving in relation to labor costs as drivers spend a little time in the inspection process. When you use digital inspection checklist templates you can save up to $1000 per year per vehicle.
Learn More About DOT Inspection Checklist Templates
Whip Around has a wide range of DOT checklist templates you can use to streamline your equipment and asset inspection. It helps you in scheduling and monitoring your inspection routines. The templates come along with automatic email notifications to alert you of impending inspection and suggestions if need be.
You can choose to use the pre-built checklist template or tweak it to conform to your company needs. There is also the provision of uploading an already existing inspection checklist into the inspection software.
The templates also allow easy access to the inspection data and reports to all the stakeholders. This ensures follow up and taking the necessary action by the needed authority. Therefore, digital checklist templates is a must have for smooth operations of your company.
