What You Need to Know About the Annual DOT Inspection - Truck Dispatcher Training

What You Need to Know About the Annual DOT Inspection

Remember Nathan Rothschild’s legendary aphorism, “He who owns the information owns the world”? If you own the information about the annual DOT inspection, you may not own the world, but you’ll avoid a lot of problems. We guarantee it.

So, what do you need to know about the annual DOT inspection?

What it is

Every 12 months, any commercial vehicle, if it weighs 10,000 pounds or more, must be inspected by Department of Transportation (DOT) inspectors. The results of this procedure are used to conclude that the truck is in good working order and safe.

If a commercial vehicle does not meet the requirements of the state agency listed above, the owner is fined. He may also be given additional inspections and even have his trucking license suspended by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
So what should you do to prevent this from happening?

Rule #1. Keep track of your paperwork

At first glance, it may seem like just bureaucracy. However, it’s not. Keeping an eye on the condition of the documents is just as important as actually inspecting the cars. So make sure that you have the right documents:

What You Need to Know About the Annual DOT Inspection

Rule #2. Train drivers and other employees of your trucking company

Don’t be a passive supervisor. Develop and implement your own educational program. Regularly explaining how the annual DOT inspection goes will allow you to cope with this kind of examination.

In addition, such an approach will make it possible not to be dependent on one person for the DOT check, which also increases the chances of success.

Rule #3. Keep repair reports

It’s no secret that the main thing you can’t pass your annual DOT inspection without is keeping your vehicles in a certain technical condition. In order to prove that you haven’t broken the law in this matter, you only need to show repair reports. To that end, we suggest keeping all documents carefully and keeping in touch with mechanics throughout the year.

Rule #4. Make a checklist and follow it

One last thing. It doesn’t hurt to make a checklist and follow it. Write down everything that the annual DOT inspection includes. Study what requirements apply to you specifically and do your best to meet them.

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