Transportation Risk Assessment Checklist

Pull 10 random pre-trip and post-trip DVIRs from the past 30 days in the ELD platform (Motive, Samsara, etc.). Flag any tractor showing 'no defects' for 14+ consecutive days — that's the pattern plaintiff attorneys subpoena after an accident. Cross-reference against any shop work orders for the same unit.

Pull the last 90 days of CSA roadside inspection reports from the FMCSA portal. Note any CVSA OOS violations — brakes out of adjustment, tire tread below 4/32" on steers or 2/32" on drives, lights inop. Repeat-offender units need a shop deep-dive before the next dispatch.

For each unit with a recent OOS violation, open a Fleetio (or RTA, Whip Around) work order tagged 'CSA-driven repair'. Park the unit until the defect is corrected and signed off by a certified mechanic. Document the repair in the maintenance file — this is the audit trail if the violation reappears.

Sample 30 random DQ files (or all, if fleet under 30). Verify each contains: application, MVR within 12 months, road test certificate, current medical card, pre-employment drug test, prior-employer inquiries (Part 391.23) for past 3 years, and annual Clearinghouse query. Missing MVR or Clearinghouse query is the most common audit finding.

Run full queries (with driver consent on file) for any driver whose last full query is approaching 12 months. Limited queries don't satisfy the annual requirement on their own. Document consent and query results in the DQ file.

Run a report from the DQ system (Foley, J.J. Keller Encompass, Tenstreet) for medical cards expiring in the next 60 days. Notify each driver and book the DOT physical with an NRCME-certified examiner. A lapsed medical card means the driver is unqualified — out-of-service if stopped, and insurance may disclaim coverage on a loss.

Confirm with the consortium/TPA that year-to-date selections are tracking to the FMCSA minimums: 50% of average driver count for controlled substances, 10% for alcohol. If the carrier is below pace mid-year, request a bump-up schedule from the TPA. In-house random selection without TPA oversight is a red flag in audits.

From Motive, Samsara, or your current ELD, run the 30-day exception report: 11-hour driving, 14-hour duty, 30-minute break, 60/70-hour weekly. Flag drivers with repeat exceptions and dispatchers who routed loads that forced the violation. Pattern violations move CSA HOS Compliance BASIC quickly.

For each flagged driver, hold a documented coaching conversation. Cover: what the exception was, what should have been logged (sleeper berth, off-duty, PC), and any dispatch pressure that contributed. Sign and date the coaching record; file in the driver's training folder.

Unassigned driving time on a tractor is an FMCSA red flag — auditors assume the carrier is hiding HOS violations. Reconcile each segment against yard moves, shop test drives, or driver login failures. Annotate in the ELD with supporting notes.

Pick 5 outbound loads at the yard and physically verify: working load limits stamped on straps and chains, edge protection on sharp loads, minimum tiedowns by length, forward/rearward/lateral restraint per FMCSR. Flatbed loads are the highest-risk category.

Pull damaged straps from circulation: cuts, knots, abrasion through the webbing, broken stitching at the hardware. Chains: bent links, cracks, gouges. Binders: bent handles, worn cams. Reduced WLL on any of the above is the same as no securement at all in a CSA inspection.

Per 49 CFR 172.602, every hazmat BOL must list a 24/7 monitored emergency response phone (CHEMTREC contract or equivalent). Confirm the contract is current and the number printed matches. Also verify driver hazmat endorsement (H or X), placard inventory in the cab, and security plan on file for placardable loads.

Walk the yard with the IRP fleet roster. Each apportioned unit needs the current cab card in the cab and current IFTA decals on both doors. Missing decals on an interstate-qualified vehicle (≥26,001 lb GVW or 3+ axles) is a roadside ticket and a state fuel-tax flag.

For every power unit ≥55,000 lb GVW, the stamped Schedule 1 from IRS Form 2290 is required for plate renewal. Filing window is July 1 — Aug 31. Missing receipts mean blocked plates at the next renewal cycle.

Pull the FMCSA SMS report. Note any BASIC above intervention threshold: Unsafe Driving, HOS Compliance, Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance, Hazmat, Crash Indicator. Threshold scores drive insurance renewal pricing and shipper qualification — and they predict a Compliance Review.

For each BASIC above threshold, document a written CAP: root-cause violations, named owner, training or process change, and a target date to retest scores after the next data refresh. The CAP is the artifact a DOT auditor or insurance underwriter will ask to see.

Each tractor needs: blank accident report, witness cards, disposable camera or driver-app instructions, post-accident drug-and-alcohol test info card with collection-site phone, insurance ID card, and emergency contact list. Drivers who don't get witness contact info or scene photos cripple insurance defense.

Confirm each tractor has a working forward and (where policy requires) driver-facing camera. Verify the retention window in the platform — 30 days minimum is typical. A missing dashcam clip after a nuclear-verdict crash is the difference between a settled claim and a runaway jury.

Run a tabletop with the on-call dispatcher: simulated rollover with injuries. Verify the script covers — call 911, secure the scene, photograph everything, get witness names, notify the safety director, contact the insurance carrier within the policy window, and trigger the post-accident DOT drug-and-alcohol test within 8 hours (alcohol) / 32 hours (drugs).