(U.S. Department of Transportation Number)

All individuals and companies who engage in interstate transportation, transporting property using commercial vehicles with a total gross weight or combination weight of 10,000 lbs or more, or passengers, both private and for hire, must obtain a US DOT Number and meet all requirements and guidelines imposed by the US Department of Transportation.

All new entrants must undergo a US DOT Safety Audit Certification. Your Safety Audit will be conducted at your office (or home) where your transportation records are maintained. You will be visited by a US DOT representative who will carefully examine your Driver Qualification Files and most previous six (6) months of log books. Drug and alcohol testing records are required for all drivers who operate vehicles with GVW over 26,000 lbs. You will be required to produce maintenance files for all power units and trailers in your fleet, and more.

Don’t let this audit discourage you! It is intended to help you if the auditor should discover there are areas where you are not in compliance. In the past, many carriers did not have the opportunity to have their compliance reviewed when beginning operations. Even today, there are many carriers who are not in compliance and they may not be aware of this. When the DOT comes to visit them, it may not be an enjoyable experience. It is important for you to start your business by immediately complying with all DOT requirements. If you fail to make an effort to comply with these requirements, your authority to operate can be revoked.

For help with setting up your company’s files, please visit Driver Qualification Files.