Common Questions About The FMCSA New Entrant Safety Audit

When you start your trucking company, you can expect a new entrant safety audit within the first 18 months of starting your trucking authority. Owner operators and small trucking companies may be scared of this new entrant audit. However it’s nothing to be worried about. With a little preparation, you can make sure you pass your new entrant safety audit with flying colours.

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires a New Entrant Safety Audit, which is to make sure your trucking company follows the set safety standards. New entrants are audited within the first 12 months of operation. In this article, we’ll go over some points on what you should know about the FMCSA New Entrant Safety Audit.

What does the New Entrant Safety Audit look at?

The entire point of the safety audit is to make sure that you are operating your company safely. There are thousands of carriers and not every carrier operates safely. The audit’s purpose is to ensure that you operate safely and isn’t something that you should be scared of.

The safety audit will primarily focus on these factors:

Driver Qualifications
Company Accident Register
Driver Record Of Duty Status (log book)
Controlled Substances and Alcohol Use and testing requirements
Vehicle maintenance
Hazardous materials (If you are a hazmat carrier)

How can I prepare for my New Entrant Safety Audit?

Passing the new entrant safety audit essentially comes down to making sure you are following all recommended safety protocols as a new trucking company. Make sure you have clear and consistent understanding of all programs.

Some ways to make sure you pass the Audit are:

Checking Driver Violations: Confirm that your driver qualification files are accurate.
Make sure your drivers’ CDLS are active.
Alcohol and Drug Violations: Check to see if you have a driver who has tested positive for a drug test before, or a driver who had refused to take the drug and alcohol test.
Operation Violations: Confirm that you have the required insurance and that you are tracking and keeping records of the hours-of-service.
Repairs and Inspections Violations: Keep records of any previous equipment inspections you had.

What happens if I fail the New Entrant Safety Audit?

If you fail the New Entrant Safety Audit, then you will receive a written document from FMCSA no later than 45 days after completion of the New Entrant Safety Audit. The written document will mention why you failed and that your operations will be placed out of service unless you correct the conditions which led you to fail the audit which will be specified in the written document.

You will have to submit a corrective action plan within the next 60 days to the FMCSA so their authority can remain active. If you fail to submit the corrective action plan, your trucking company will be put out of service. Our team at TexasTruckPermits.com can help you draft and submit your corrective action plan to the FMCSA.

Some ways you can automatically fail your new entrant safety audit are:

– Alcohol and drug violations such as not having a random drug testing program in place.

– Operation violations such as knowingly letting an impaired driver operate a vehicle.

– Driver violations such as using a driver that does not have a valid CDL.

– Repair and inspection violations

For a more detailed list of automatic failure violations, you can visit the FMCSA:

What happens if I pass the New Entrant Safety Audit?

If you pass the New Entrant Safety Audit, you will receive a written document no later than 45 days after completion of the New Entrant Safety Audit. The document will state that you have passed the basic safety management control. For the remainder of the 18-month period, your safety performance will continue to be monitored.

How can TexasTruckPermits.com help?

Texas Truck Permits can help you draft your corrective action plan for your trucking company. First, we will need a copy of your Part B Results of your new entrant safety audit. We will then draft a corrective action plan and send copies to you and the FMCSA.