Make sure you understand all the FMCSA and DOT guidelines that affect you and your business. While you don’t have to suffer through hundreds of pages of legislation every time a new rule is published, you do need to know what laws affect your operation.

Commercial drivers must be sure they’re performing and recording all their necessary pre-trip and post-trip inspections. An incomplete inspection record can get you slapped with a DOT violation, so play it safe and pay attention to your inspections.

All your driver records must be kept up to date. This means you’ll need records of the latest driving hours logged, safety inspections passed, and all your current driver qualifications and certificates. You do not want to be caught off guard with a pile of outdated records.

ELD usage is about to become mandatory for just about every long-haul driver. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and start looking for an ELD solution now. You’ll want to give yourself as much time as possible to find the right system. Don’t wait until the week before the deadline to make the switch.

If you’re a fleet manager, it’s your responsibility to keep a record of every road incident (fender benders, collisions, etcetera) that involves a vehicle in your fleet. These records are a must for any fleet that wants to stay on the DOT’s “good side”.

If your vehicles have DOT identification numbers, make sure these are clearly displayed on each vehicle! Sure, they might clash with the paint job, but the DOT doesn’t mess around when it comes to ID numbers.

You know what’s even worse than your typical, run-of-the-mill drunk driving? Paying someone to do it. Conduct employee drug and alcohol tests on a regular basis. This protects the public as much as it protects your business, so don’t slack on the screenings.

If most of your drivers pass your regular drug screenings, that’s great! But what if a few fail? If any driver fails a drug test, it’s time to remove them from active operation of your fleet vehicles. If a driver is found in violation of drug and alcohol policies, it’s time to take action.

If drivers don’t know what they’re doing, how can they possibly do a good job? Make employee training a priority by conducting regular DOT compliance trainings to keep everyone on your team on the same page.

To keep your fleet successful, you must know and follow both new and established DOT regulations. Staying one step ahead of a DOT violation means keeping an ear to the ground and doing your research to know what laws affect your operation.