Fall into Compliance

Preparing Your Fleet for Winter‑Season DOT & FMCSA Readiness

As temperatures drop and daylight hours shrink, the risks and regulatory exposure for trucking carriers shift. This blog will guide carriers and drivers through the transition from fall into winter — with a focus on audit‑readiness, compliance, and operational resilience.

Sections

• Transitioning your compliance calendar

  • Review and update your “seasonal readiness” checklist in early fall (e.g., September‑October)

  • Flag driver medical certificates, vehicle inspection dates, and maintenance schedules for winter

  • Map out the key driver file, ELD, vehicle maintenance, insurance & authority, and drug & alcohol testing items that may require extra attention in the coming months

• Vehicle & equipment winter‑proofing with an audit lens

  • Pre‑winter preventive maintenance: brakes, tires/tread depth, batteries, lights, wipers, heater/defroster systems — all of which may be examined in a compliance review. Truckstop+3Verizon Connect+3TruckX Inc+3

  • Document maintenance: confirm repair orders, inspection logs and DVIRs are properly retained and organized.

  • Winter safety kit: emergency supplies, snow chains (where required by state chain laws), extra fluids, portable snow shovel, granola bars, water, & extra blankets Truckstop+1

• Driver files and hours of service (HOS) issues in changing seasons

  • Visibility, traction, and other road conditions could increase accident risk; auditors may scrutinize accident registers, corrective actions, and safety management protocols.

  • Confirm that driver qualification files are up‑to‑date (CDL, medical card, MVR, past employment, etc).

  • HOS/ELD: Winter conditions may trigger delays or adverse conditions. Confirm your policies include how you handle adverse weather in the ELD and how you respond to delays — auditors may ask how you planned for them.

• Winter weather, route planning & risk management from a compliance perspective

  • Consider route planning that anticipates winter weather, black ice, reduced daylight. HMD Trucking Inc.+2TruckX Inc+2

  • Document your procedures: how dispatch and drivers coordinate when weather impacts schedules and safe operations.

  • Confirm you have a process in place when the driver shuts down due to weather, and that drivers and supervisors know how to execute the plan.

• Drug & alcohol testing / emergency preparedness

  • Confirm your testing program remains compliant and that you’ve trained supervisors accordingly.

  • Confirm your emergency preparedness plan includes winter‑specific scenarios (truck stuck, road closure, stranded driver) and that you have documentation of driver training, equipment in the truck, and your process for post‑incident review.

• Audit‑ready documentation (for the winter season and beyond)

  • Provide a downloadable checklist for the “Fall to Winter Compliance Transition” (driver files, vehicle maintenance, route/weather plan, emergency kit, chain law knowledge).

  • Include suggested retention periods and where to store docs (digital vs paper).

  • Encourage monthly spot‑checks now through March (or whenever winter ends) to keep readiness high.

Being proactive now reduces risk, supports safer operations, and strengthens documentation ahead of any audit by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) or United States Department of Transportation (DOT).

Need help drafting or reviewing your fleets DOT & FMCSA prepardness contact LEC at www.lecsafety.com/contact