Business Continuity Planning Checklist

List the functions the carrier cannot operate without for more than 24 hours: load tendering and dispatch (McLeod, Aljex, AscendTMS), ELD compliance (Motive, Samsara), driver settlements, fuel-card authorization (Comdata, EFS), and customer track-and-trace. For each, name the owner and the manual fallback if the system is down.

Rate likelihood and impact for scenarios that actually hit motor carriers: ELD provider outage, TMS outage, terminal fire or weather closure, cyber/ransomware on dispatch network, fuel-card network outage, primary insurance carrier non-renewal, and key-customer EDI failure. Score each High/Medium/Low on a 5x5 matrix.

Recovery Time Objective and Recovery Point Objective drive every downstream decision. Dispatch and ELD typically need RTO under 4 hours; settlements can tolerate 48-72 hours. Document the numbers — vague answers like "as soon as possible" create disputes during a real event.

Hazmat carriers require a written security plan under 49 CFR 172.802 and 24/7 emergency response coverage (CHEMTREC or equivalent). If any operation is placardable, the BCP must reference the security plan and ERG response paths.

When the TMS is down, dispatchers fall back to a printed driver roster, the current day's load board export, and voice dispatch. Document where the daily export is saved (offline copy on the lead dispatcher's laptop), who has authority to authorize manual rate confirmations, and how check calls are logged for later reconciliation.

Per 49 CFR 395.34, drivers may use paper logs for up to 8 days when an ELD malfunctions. Document how drivers obtain blank graph-grid logs from the cab, how malfunctions are reported to the safety office, and the 8-day repair-or-replace deadline tracker.

Cover DOT-recordable thresholds (fatality, injury requiring transport, vehicle towed). The tree names the on-call safety manager, the insurance 24/7 claims line, post-accident drug-test collection within 8 hours alcohol / 32 hours drug, and the dashcam preservation step before footage overwrites.

Reference the existing 49 CFR 172.802 security plan, the CHEMTREC contract number, and the route-planning constraints (no-tunnel, no-densely-populated). Confirm every driver hauling placardable loads carries the current ERG edition in the cab.

Tree includes: drivers (via ELD messaging + SMS fallback), top 10 shippers and brokers, insurance carrier, factoring company, FMCSA Division Office if operations halt, and local media contact if a major incident occurs. Include after-hours numbers, not just office lines.

Walk drivers through the accident packet contents, post-accident drug-test window, dashcam preservation, and who they call first. Document attendance for the DQ file training records.

Identify a secondary location where dispatchers can operate within 4 hours: a second terminal, a partner carrier's office, or a remote-work arrangement with cellular hotspots. Document VPN access, TMS login distribution, and the cutover decision authority.

Confirm McLeod / Aljex / AscendTMS backup frequency (typically nightly), confirm Motive or Samsara cloud retention covers HOS for the FMCSA 6-month requirement, and request a written SLA from each vendor including their uptime commitment and notification path during outages.

Identify two heavy-duty wrecker providers per major operating lane, a rental power-only carrier for tractor failures, and a trailer-rental contact (XTRA, Premier, Star Leasing). Lock in account numbers and after-hours dispatch lines before you need them at 2am.

When Comdata or EFS goes down or a card is locked, drivers need a documented advance procedure — typically a Comchek or money-code authorized by dispatch. Cap the per-driver advance authority and require receipt return within 48 hours for settlement reconciliation.

Combine the risk register, RTO/RPO table, response procedures, communication tree, and vendor contracts into a single versioned document. Include USDOT number, MC number, UCR registration, insurance policy numbers, and BOC-3 process agent on the cover sheet.

Digital-only plans fail when the network is the disruption. Print binder copies for each terminal, the lead dispatcher's vehicle, and the safety director's home office. Track acknowledgment signatures from each recipient.

Incorporate executive comments, bump the version number, and recirculate to the original distribution list. Old printed copies should be physically destroyed to prevent confusion during an event.

Scenario suggestions: a Friday-afternoon ransomware lockout of the TMS, a multi-vehicle pileup involving three of the fleet's tractors, a Class-5 hurricane forecast hitting the primary terminal in 72 hours. Two hours, conference room, no devices.

For one full operating shift, dispatch from the backup site using printed exports and voice dispatch. Measure load-tender-to-driver time, missed check calls, and any late deliveries. The point is to find the gaps before a real outage finds them for you.

Drivers experienced the drill from the road; their feedback is the most valuable input. Cover what worked, what failed, and update the cab reference card accordingly.

Each gap becomes a tracked action item with owner, due date, and verification step. Common findings: stale phone numbers, untested VPN seats, drivers who never received the cab reference card.

Calendar the review for 12 months out and the mid-year touch-point at 6 months. Tie reviews to FMCSA regulatory cycles (random pool rate changes, HOS rule updates, Clearinghouse amendments) so the BCP keeps pace.

Pull the carrier's SMS snapshot quarterly; a BASIC score crossing an intervention threshold (Unsafe Driving, HOS Compliance, Vehicle Maintenance) is a continuity event in itself — insurance renewals and shipper qualification become at-risk.

Every new dispatcher, safety coordinator, and shop tech receives the BCP overview during onboarding. Drivers get the laminated cab reference card and a five-minute walk-through during orientation. Document the training in the DQ file or personnel file as applicable.