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Dallas trucking companies follow FMCSA safety rules for interstate work and the Texas Department of Public Safety’s version of those rules for loads that stay in Texas, and both agencies audit carriers.
Our Richardson office helps North Texas carriers keep driver files, drug and alcohol testing, hours of service, and maintenance records ready for a DOT audit.
The federal rules apply when you run a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce. Under 49 CFR 390.5T, that is a vehicle of 10,001 pounds or more, one that carries more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for pay or more than 15 without pay, or one hauling hazardous materials in placarded amounts.
Those carriers need a USDOT number, and FMCSA lists Texas among the states that also require one from intrastate commercial vehicle registrants. The number must be marked on your trucks, as our guide on how to mark a commercial motor vehicle explains.
The federal definition of interstate commerce includes transportation between two places in one state “as part of trade, traffic, or transportation originating or terminating outside the State or the United States.” A container drayed from a Dallas rail ramp to a warehouse in South Dallas can fall under the federal rules even though the truck never leaves the county.
Texas DPS applies the federal safety rules to intrastate trucks over 26,000 pounds and to placarded hazmat loads (37 TAC 4.11). For intrastate drivers, 37 TAC 4.12 sets the minimum age at 18 instead of 21 and allows 12 hours of driving after 8 hours off, no driving after 15 hours on duty, and 70 hours in 7 days, while still requiring ELDs unless an exemption applies. Those carriers also need a TxDMV number, and our Texas DOT compliance page covers the state rules in full.
Volume and traffic. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) calls Dallas-Fort Worth one of the largest inland ports in the nation, and that freight runs on busy, regulated corridors:
Each crash that meets FMCSA’s accident definition goes on your accident register, which you must keep for 3 years (49 CFR 390.15). Drayage work at the ramps also brings intermodal insurance requirements, which our Dallas commercial truck insurance page explains.
Both. FMCSA audits new interstate carriers and investigates carriers whose safety data shows problems. Under 37 TAC 4.15, Texas DPS runs compliance reviews of intrastate carriers and of the intrastate operations of Texas-based interstate carriers, and it uses safety audits for interstate carriers in the federal new entrant program.
| Review | Who and when | What it can lead to |
|---|---|---|
| New entrant safety audit | FMCSA or a certified state officer, such as DPS, within 12 months after you begin interstate operations | No safety rating. A failed audit brings a notice to fix the problems or lose your new entrant registration |
| FMCSA compliance review | FMCSA, at any time its safety data indicates problems, or after complaints | A Satisfactory, Conditional, or Unsatisfactory rating, and possible enforcement action |
| Texas compliance review | DPS, for intrastate carriers and the intrastate operations of Texas-based carriers | A Texas safety rating. A carrier rated Unsatisfactory may not operate commercial vehicles |
An Unsatisfactory federal rating also stops a property carrier from operating, beginning on the 61st day after FMCSA’s notice of the proposed rating (49 CFR 385.13). DPS can also enter your premises to inspect records, and refusing an authorized inspection can bring a civil penalty of up to $1,000.
Five sets of records. A safety audit reviews your safety management systems and a sample of your records in these areas (49 CFR 385.311):
Some violations fail the audit on their own. 49 CFR 385.321 lists 16, including having no drug and alcohol testing program or no random testing program, operating without the required insurance, and knowingly using a driver without a valid CDL. If you fail, you have 60 days to fix the problems, or 45 days if you carry passengers or placarded hazmat, before your registration is revoked and your operations are placed out of service (49 CFR 385.319).
During your 18-month new entrant period, FMCSA can order an expedited safety audit or compliance review if you use a driver without a valid CDL, run a vehicle placed out of service before it is repaired, use a driver who tested positive or refused a test, operate without the required insurance, or have a driver or vehicle out-of-service rate of 50% or more on at least three inspections within 90 days (49 CFR 385.308).
Our new entrant safety audit checklist lists what to have ready, and our guide to a corrective action plan after a failed audit covers the next steps if an audit goes wrong.
We work from our office at 990 N Bowser Rd, Suite 900, in Richardson, and support carriers across the country. Our compliance programs come in three levels:
Across the programs, the work ranges from driver qualification file management and CSA monitoring to mock audits and hours-of-service management. Our DOT safety compliance page explains each program area, and our audit guidance and support service prepares your documentation, walks you through what the auditor expects, and stays by your side during the audit. If the auditor asks for improvements, we help you build a corrective action plan.
Use the form below to tell us about your company. Include your USDOT number, or let us know you don’t have one yet, and our team will follow up with the right program.
Yes. Our Dallas-area office is at 990 N Bowser Rd, Suite 900, Richardson, TX 75081. We also have offices in Houston, Miami, and Rancho Cucamonga.
FMCSA runs new entrant safety audits and compliance reviews for interstate carriers, and a certified state officer can perform them. Texas DPS runs compliance reviews of intrastate carriers and also performs safety audits for interstate carriers in the federal new entrant program.
FMCSA says it happens within 12 months after you begin operations, during an 18-month monitoring period. The audit comes once you have enough records to review, generally at least 3 months, and it can come sooner if roadside inspections or other evidence show serious violations.
Mostly, yes. Texas DPS adopts the federal safety regulations for intrastate trucks over 26,000 pounds and placarded hazmat, with Texas exceptions such as a minimum driver age of 18 and 12-hour driving and 15-hour on-duty limits.
The rules and figures on this page come from these official sources, checked on October 5, 2026.