At Foley, we’ve been helping many customers comply with the DOT Clearinghouse regulation since it went into effect last year. From registration to consent to running queries, we’ve come across a number of common questions – and errors – that carriers have been running into as they get acclimated to the new process.
One of the biggest issues? Query errors that have resulted from entering a driver’s CDL number incorrectly. Our estimates show that one out of every 20 queries results in an error due to this problem.
If a carrier isn’t able to run their required queries, it can lead to gaps in their compliance program that puts them at risk for fines. Just last month, the FMCSA announced that fines for DOT Clearinghouse violations were more than doubling – going from $2,500 up to $5,833 per violation.
According to the regulation, carriers must have a pre-employment query on file for all new drivers hired since the DOT Clearinghouse went into effect – as well as an annual query for every driver throughout their employment. To run these queries successfully, you’ll need the driver’s correct CDL number.
From illegible photocopies to data entry errors, there are multiple reasons why these DOT Clearinghouse query errors occur. The key to preventing them, is to have a DOT compliance solution that both checks for errors – and stores all of your documents in a format that is easy to read.
So rather than photocopies, where small details can be difficult to make out, opt for a digital solution that will store clear photographic images of your drivers’ CDLs and medical cards. For Foley Portal customers, all of these documents are reviewed for accuracy and legibility by a member of our compliance team before they are uploaded to the driver’s file. This ensures that the information you have on file is as easy to read and as accurate as possible – so that you can avoid these types of compliance issues down the road.
Click here to learn more about Foley’s digital, automated compliance solution or call (860) 815-0764.