Last reviewed Oct 26, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Every new motor carrier goes through a safety audit in its first months. The audit checks that you have the basic safety systems in place. Most carriers who fail could have passed with better records.
What auditors look at
- Drug and alcohol program: enrollment, pre-employment tests, random testing, Clearinghouse queries.
- Driver qualification files: complete for every driver.
- Hours of service: records for your drivers.
- Vehicle maintenance and inspections.
- Insurance and accident records.
Common reasons carriers fail
- No drug and alcohol testing program, or no random testing
- A driver operated before a negative pre-employment test
- A driver without a valid CDL or medical card
- Missing Clearinghouse queries
Some of these are an automatic fail, so fix them first.
Get ready
- Pull every driver’s file and check it against a list.
- Print your consortium enrollment and testing records.
- Gather hours of service and maintenance records.
- Fix gaps now, and write down what you fixed and when.
If you fail
You can submit a corrective action plan. Act fast: there is a deadline.
Get help
Our audit prep and file rebuild service reviews your records before the auditor does. We cannot promise an outcome, but we can help you walk in prepared.