FMCSA Compliance

FMCSA Compliance Software

Most carriers do not fail a compliance review because they were negligent. They fail because a medical card expired during a busy month, an annual Clearinghouse query was never run, or a previous-employer verification was requested and never followed up. These are tracking failures, and tracking is what software is for.

Driver qualification records mapped to configured Part 391 document types and review dates.

Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse tracking — pre-employment full query and annual limited queries tracked per driver as part of the qualification record.

§391.23 previous-employer verification workflow — use application records to prepare requests and track responses, then verify completion requirements.

Part 395 hours-of-service auditing — a deterministic audit of connected Samsara or Motive ELD data against federal HOS rules, with findings you can act on.

Archived records — retain departed-driver records outside the active roster under the carrier’s configured retention policy.

Review packets — compile available records for one driver or the roster and check the output against the specific request.

Authority and permit tracking — USDOT, MC, UCR, IRP, and insurance certificates alerted before expiry.

What a Part 391 driver qualification file requires

Common Part 391 records include an employment application, motor-vehicle records, previous-employer investigation records under §391.23, road-test evidence or an applicable equivalent, medical-qualification records, and periodic driving-record review. Applicability and retention differ by record and driver, so verify the current rule and the carrier’s circumstances.

Several of those are recurring rather than one-time: the annual MVR review, the annual violation certification, and the medical card which expires on its own schedule — often two years, sometimes far shorter if the examiner imposed a restriction. A file that was complete at hire is not complete a year later without maintenance.

Retention adds another dimension because periods differ by record and can continue after a driver leaves. Archiving records outside the active roster helps preserve them while the carrier applies its verified retention policy.

The Clearinghouse obligation carriers most often miss

Clearinghouse queries and consent steps have timing and scope requirements. Track their status and due dates in the driver record, then verify and complete each query in the official Clearinghouse under the current rules.

Tracking Clearinghouse status inside the driver qualification record means the annual obligation carries an expiry like any other requirement, and appears in the same alerting stream as medical cards and MVRs. It also means the status is present in the audit packet rather than living in a separate portal and a spreadsheet.

Auditing hours of service before someone else does

Your ELD is a recording device. It captures duty status accurately, and it will show a roadside officer exactly what happened. What it generally does not do is tell you, proactively, that three drivers have a recurring 14-hour-window problem or that a particular lane consistently produces violations.

For supported Samsara or Motive connections, TruckerPro can run deterministic checks over available duty-status data and surface findings for review. Confirm data coverage and have qualified staff validate findings before relying on the report.

Who this is for

Carriers facing a compliance review

Compile stored files and retention history into a review packet, identify gaps, and validate the result against the agency request.

Safety directors at growing fleets

Configured alerts across medicals, MVRs, Clearinghouse-query status, and licences turn recurring due dates into a review queue.

Carriers with a CSA score problem

CSA scores respond to violation patterns. Auditing your own HOS data and closing DQ gaps addresses the inputs rather than the score, which is the only thing that actually moves it.

New authorities

A new entrant faces a safety audit within the first year. Starting with a structured DQ program rather than retrofitting one is substantially less work.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is FMCSA compliance software?

It is software that tracks a motor carrier federal obligations for drivers and vehicles: 49 CFR Part 391 driver qualification files, drug and alcohol program participation including Clearinghouse queries, MVR reviews, hours-of-service records under Part 395, and equipment inspection and maintenance records. The useful ones track obligations with due dates, rather than simply storing uploaded documents.

What records can belong in a DQ file?

Common Part 391 records include the employment application, MVRs, §391.23 previous-employer investigation records, road-test evidence or an applicable equivalent, medical-qualification records, and periodic driving-record reviews. Applicability and retention vary, so confirm the current official requirements for each driver.

Does it handle the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse?

Yes. Clearinghouse status is tracked as part of the driver qualification record, covering the pre-employment full query and the annual limited query required for every CDL driver. The annual query is the most commonly missed obligation in the whole program because nothing naturally prompts it, so it carries an expiry and appears in the alerting stream.

Can it run §391.23 previous-employer verifications?

Yes. When a candidate is processed, the system pulls the previous employers listed on the application for the last three years and sends each one a verification request covering the mandated drug and alcohol history, accident history, and employment questions, then tracks which responses have come back.

How does the hours-of-service audit work?

Connect your Samsara or Motive ELD, and the platform runs a deterministic audit of the duty-status data against FMCSA Part 395 rules. Findings are presented as a reviewable list so you can address patterns — repeated 14-hour-window issues, 70-hour problems, missing certifications — before a compliance review surfaces them.

How long do I need to keep driver records?

Retention depends on the record, driver status, operation, and jurisdiction. Archive departed-driver records rather than treating termination as permission to delete them, and validate the schedule against current official and legal requirements.

Does this replace our drug and alcohol consortium?

No. A consortium or third-party administrator manages testing pools and collection logistics. This software can organize configured program records and query status; required testing, external queries, reporting, and professional review remain separate.

Related

TMS Software for US Trucking Companies FMCSA Clearinghouse Software ELD Integration for TMS (US) TMS for Small Fleets (US)