DOT compliance services in Dallas, Texas
Dallas carriers often run two kinds of days in the same week: short runs around the rail yards and long runs out on the interstates. Each kind has its own compliance rules. We help small Dallas fleets keep both straight.
Freight in Dallas, and the compliance it creates
Dallas sits where several major freight corridors meet. I-35E runs north and south through the city, I-20 crosses the south side, I-30 heads east, and I-45 runs south out of downtown. Union Pacific's Dallas Intermodal Terminal sits on I-45 at Fulghum Road, inside Hutchins and Wilmer in southern Dallas County. Union Pacific also runs an intermodal terminal in Mesquite on the east side.
That mix of rail ramps, warehouses and long-haul lanes means many small Dallas carriers run local container and trailer moves alongside 53-foot dry van, reefer and power only loads. The two kinds of work fall under different record rules, and mixing them up is where violations start.
Local runs and long runs on the same truck
A driver who stays within 150 air miles of the normal work reporting location and is released within 14 hours may use the short-haul exception and keep time records instead of logs. The day that driver takes a load beyond the radius or works past 14 hours, the exception is gone for that day, and full logs apply.
We help you set up a clear rule for each driver and each day, check the time records, and make sure the ELD shows what it should. See our hours-of-service and ELD page for the core limits.
- Time records kept when short-haul applies
- Full logs and ELD when it doesn't
- Supporting documents that match both
Interstate, intrastate, or both
Some Dallas carriers haul only inside Texas. Texas requires intrastate operating authority from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for that work, and the TxDMV says Texas carriers start with a USDOT number. Carriers that haul both inside Texas and across state lines need both kinds of authority, because one doesn't cover the other. The TxDMV notes that driver licensing and motor carrier safety audits are handled by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
We help you sort out which rules apply to which loads before you book them. If you're still setting up, start with trucking authority setup.
Services for Dallas carriers
DOT mock audit
A remote review of your files the way an investigator would see them, with a written gap list.
Driver qualification files
Complete files for every driver, including the ones who only run local.
Supervisor training
The 60 + 60 minute reasonable-suspicion training required by 49 CFR 382.603.
CSA score review
What your inspection history on I-35E and I-20 says to brokers, shippers and FMCSA.
Backed by education
Our help with DOT compliance in Dallas is backed by the education we created at Freight University. We use education, data, technology and academics to stay on top of the newest FMCSA rules and regulations. You don't get one person. You get a team, a platform and a network with up-to-date information, making sure it's done the right and correct way. How we work.
- Current on the newest FMCSA rules
- A team, a platform and a network behind you
- Done the right and correct way
How we work with Dallas carriers
Our compliance work is done remotely: you send files securely, we review them, and we go over the results with you by phone or video. Call 901-205-9679 or use the form below.
Questions and answers
Do you have an office in Dallas?
We serve Dallas-area carriers remotely. If your situation calls for someone on-site, ask us and we'll tell you what we can arrange.
My drivers only run local drayage. Do they need DQ files and drug testing?
If they drive CMVs that require a CDL, yes. The short-haul exception changes how hours are recorded. It does not remove driver qualification or drug and alcohol testing requirements.
I only haul inside Texas. Do federal rules still matter?
Texas has its own intrastate authority and safety oversight, and some state rules differ from the federal ones. Tell us exactly how you operate and we'll go through which rules apply.
Related
Intrastate trucking authority and your USDOT number
Intrastate trucking authority is what lets you haul inside one state, and many states also require an intrastate USDOT number.
New entrant safety audit preparation
Every new interstate carrier gets a new entrant safety audit. We help you get your records in order before it happens, and if the audit doesn't go your way, we help you…
DOT compliance services for trucking companies
Most small carriers don't lose their authority because they can't find freight. They lose it because they can't show an investigator the records that prove the company…
DOT mock audits: find gaps before the investigator does
A mock audit is a practice run. We ask for the same records an FMCSA investigator would, check them against the regulations, and give you a written list of what's…
Hours-of-service and ELD compliance
Hours-of-service violations are among the easiest to find, because the ELD records every minute.
DOT compliance services in Fort Worth, Texas
Many Fort Worth carriers are young companies hauling distribution center freight on I-35W. That's a good market and a hard first year.
Get your trucking authority set up
Your authority is what lets you haul other people's freight across state lines for pay.
How we work: backed by education
Everything we do at Logistical Forwarding Solutions is backed by education. Your company is managed by LFS, and behind LFS is Freight University: students, interns and…
Talk with us about compliance in Dallas
Tell us how many trucks you run, whether you haul interstate, intrastate or both, and what's worrying you.
Prefer the phone? Call 901-205-9679.