This shift coincides with the shift towards offsite audits, which grew dramatically this year due to social distancing requirements. “Offsite audits have been occurring more frequently over the past few years, but we really saw the numbers skyrocket in response to COVID,” said Greg Pakiela, Director of Customer Success.
“One of the hallmarks of offsite audits is that carriers are given less time to prepare – something our data supports. Not only are audits up across all segments of the industry, but carriers often only have 48 hours notice to get ready.”
The majority of survey respondents felt confident that they’d be ready in the event of an audit. And while this is promising news, it’s likely not indicative of the industry at large – especially if they don’t have the benefit of working with a DOT compliance provider such as Foley to help them keep their requirements straight. “Not only are we managing many aspects of our carriers’ compliance, but we’re doing so in a completely digital, online environment,” Pakiela said. “This ensures that they are not just audit ready – but they’re ready to provide documents electronically to auditors if their audit is held offsite.”
Without a digital solution, carriers will need to scan and send digital copies of all requested documents within days of the auditor’s request. Depending on the number of documents requested, this can be quite burdensome – especially if most employees are still working remotely.
The takeaway?
Making sure your company is ready for a DOT audit has never been more important. If you have gaps in your compliance programs, or haven’t made the switch to a fully electronic file management system, you’ll want to make this a priority. Because once you’re called for an audit, there will be little time to prepare.
If you’d like to learn about how Foley’s DOT compliance solution can help ensure you stay compliant and audit ready, please click here or give us a call at (860) 815-0754.