18-Month Safety Audit of New Trucking Companies - Truck Dispatcher Training

18-Month Safety Audit of New Trucking Companies

Under current U.S. law, any company that provides trucking services is required to undergo an 18-month safety audit. And its size does not play a role. That is, this rule applies even to owner-operators.

We will tell you what you should pay special attention to in order to successfully pass this audit.

How does the 18-month safety audit for new trucking companies take place?

Most often it is organized at the head office. Unfortunately, scammers are now stepping up and asking for documents to be sent online. Note that only the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has the authority to request any information online. In the case we are considering, it may be a letter informing you of an automatic 18-month safety audit.

The 18-month field safety audit is conducted by a designated person from the state. Sometimes federal officials under FMCSA supervision are involved. In a face-to-face meeting, the specialist will review all of the security regulations that are in place for your business. Almost always, the 18-month security audit reviews:

How to prepare for it?


The main tip, which may seem trivial, is to make sure that you, a new entrant into the trucking services market, follow all existing safety protocols. You can learn about them online at state agency portals and on our course.

It’s also critical to keep your documentation professional and address safety concerns promptly. No one demands perfection from you, but reports do.

The consequences of failing an 18-month safety audit of new trucking companies

In this case, you will receive a negative response from the FMCSA detailing why you failed. If the violation is not serious, your trucking company will be given the opportunity to correct it.

This will require you to develop and submit a corrective action plan (CAP) to the FMCSA. You have a certain amount of time to do this (it is stated in the response from FMCSA). If you do not do this in time, your trucking company will be disenrolled from FMCSA.

Once the above plan is approved, you will have two months to confirm and implement it.

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