Simplex Group Ontario, CA

If you are opening a trucking company in Ontario, California, compliance with the Department of Transportation rules and the safety of your employees should be a top priority. Violations of DOT/FMCSA safety regulations can result in fines and temporary or permanent closure of your business. 

Simplex Group of Ontario can ensure that your trucking company is fully compliant with regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Our team will take care of the safety compliance, so you only have to worry about the logistics of running your business and acquiring new clients. 

Our company will oversee driver qualifications, substance abuse testing, Electronic Logging Device management, and hours of service compliance. We will also prepare you for audits.

A trucking company will be subject to FMCSA rules if they operate vehicles that fall into the following categories:

• Weighs over 10,001 lbs
• Transports 9 to 15 people for profit
• Transports over 15 people, whether it is for-profit or not 
• Transports hazardous material

To be DOT certified, professional truck drivers in the United States must be over 21 years old, have a Class C  driver’s license for a year, maintain a good driving record, and possess insurance. A driver must also prove that they reside in the state.  If a driver is only going to work within California, the age requirement is lowered to 18. 

These things may sound easy enough to check, but other requirements take a considerable amount of time to research. Before you hire a driver, they must pass a three-year background check, complete a DOT physical exam, and be able to read and write in English.

Not only will Simplex Group do full employment history and background checks on your drivers, but we will arrange for drug testing and physical exams. 

We will review each driver’s files annually to make sure they are up to date. You will always be apprised of any records that need updating.

The Department of Transportation has strict requirements for vehicles used for commercial purposes. 

Your drivers are required to perform inspections of their vehicles before their trip and after they complete a trip and must document the results of their inspections. If a problem is discovered, it must be fixed before the truck can be driven. The mechanic who repairs the vehicle will be expected to document their work as well. 

Vehicles will also be inspected annually by the FMCSA. Trucks and vehicles used for passenger transportation are subject to random roadside inspections. If they fail, they may be taken off the road, and you may be fined. 

We will make sure your inspection records are up to date, that you are using the correct forms for every situation, and that you are informed of any updates to the law. 

Every business must post employment laws, the minimum legal wage, and safety information in an area where everyone can see them. Trucking companies must post FMCSA rules in addition to those documents. We will ensure that your office is fully compliant with DOT rules.

The FMCSA imposes hours of service regulations on truck drivers. 

• A truck operator can only drive their vehicle for 11 consecutive hours after being off duty for at least 11 consecutive hours. 
• A driver carrying passengers can only drive for 10 hours after 8 hours off duty. 
• A driver must have a lunch break that is at least 30 minutes long and uninterrupted.
• Drivers in California can only drive for 60 hours in a seven-day week.
• A new week cannot begin until a driver has been off duty for 34 consecutive hours.

An overworked driver can cause an accident. If a driver is found to be operating a vehicle for too long, the trucking company may be fined. A person injured in an accident by a driver who has exceeded the 11-hour limit could sue your company for damages.

Truck drivers carry Electronic Logging Devices to track their hours. If you have a lot of truck drivers to manage, keeping track of all their hours can be difficult. We can assist you with managing the information from ELDs. 

We can audit driver logs periodically because unscrupulous drivers occasionally try to falsify information on their logs. We can help you determine if any records have been recorded incorrectly. We can also help you set disciplinary policies for drivers who do not follow FMCSA rules.

Drivers work long hours, and their jobs can be very physically stressful. Some drivers will take drugs to stay awake or to deal with pain. Unfortunately, these drugs can impair a person’s ability to make good judgment calls when they are operating a vehicle. 

Substance abuse is something that the United States government takes very seriously. The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act mandates that DOT agencies have a substance abuse protocol for testing employees and contractors. 

If a driver is in an accident that results in injury or death, they must take a drug test. They will also be issued a citation. A trucking company must conduct random drug testing at least once a year.

A driver must be tested for drugs and alcohol in the following circumstances:

• Reasonable suspicion based on behavior.
• Return to duty after initially refusing a drug test or failing a drug test.
• Follow up after returning to work after a drug-related suspension. 

We will make sure your substance abuse testing files are up to date and will assist you in creating a custom drug abuse manual.

New trucking companies will have a New Entrant Audit within their first 18 months of operation. We prepare our clients for audits by ensuring that all paperwork is updated and in order. 

Running a trucking business is a hard but rewarding job because trucking companies transport necessary supplies to people all over the country. A trucking company owner or manager should not have to micromanage compliance. 

The compliance specialists at Simplex Group can take care of the necessary paperwork you need to stay up to date with DOT rules. We will ensure that your drivers are qualified and competent and that your fleet is ready for the long road ahead.

Compliance is an important part of running a trucking company. However, it is only a fraction of the job. You also have to get all the right permits, pay your taxes, and plan your freight. Simplex Group can help you with every element of running a trucking business.

A professional trucking company needs to comply with the laws and be safe, which requires many different types of insurance. The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) requires liability and cargo insurance, but a company will also need physical damage insurance for all its trucks and general insurance for its business. Our trained insurance agents can put together a policy that is right for you.

The route you take when getting from one place to another can affect the success of your trucking company. If you take the shortest route possible, you may pay more if you drive through states with very high trucking taxes.

 A trucking company That does not have a good strategy when choosing lanes may lose quite a bit of money. Simplex Group has been assisting trucking companies with freight planning for years. We know which lanes will save you money, and we can give you an excellent rate. 

Your strategy for loading your truck is very important as well. You can load your trucks for maximum profitability. We can assist you with freight loading strategy, and we can make sure you are getting top dollar for your hauls.

The Department of Transportation might be the department of the government that officially regulates the trucking industry, but there are other government entities and organizations that require permits for truckers. You will need a few different permits to operate a trucking company.

An interstate trucking company that operates vehicles over 100,000 pounds or carries hazardous material must sign up for Unified Carrier Registration and pay an annual fee.

The government mandates that you participate in this program. 

Each state charges truckers certain fees. Trucking companies used to have to pay these fees separately. The UCR consolidates those fees into one charge. A trucking company pays a fee to their local UCR office, and that office will distribute the money to the states. The fee you will pay is based on how many trucks you have in your fleet.

Most states charge trucking companies taxes based on the weight of their vehicle and the miles they travel through the state. Truckers once had to have a fuel permit in every state they drove through. This costs the trucking companies valuable time.

 The International Fuel Tax Agreement allows trucking companies to make one payment to the IFTA office on a quarterly basis. The money is then distributed to the states via the IFTA office. It is important to record all of your fuel purchases and miles to be in compliance with this agreement. However, there are some states that are NOT under the IFTA mandate and if you travel through their highways, you’ll have to pay to them directly. 

Our trained trucking experts have years of experience in various trucking laws. They will make sure you have every permit necessary to run your business. They will make sure that the permits you need stay current as well.

As you already know, your truck needs a DOT number, and has to be renewed every two years. However, there are a few other tags a commercial truck needs to have. 

A commercial trucking company must participate in the International Registration Plan. The IRP is a reciprocity agreement between Canada and America. It allows states to recognize truck registrations that other jurisdictions have issued. Truckers must pay a fee to each jurisdiction they pass through. If your truckers travel through two or more jurisdictions, they will have to participate in this program. You will be issued special plates if you are in this program. 

It can be time-consuming and confusing to register for all of the tags you will need. We can take care of the paperwork and red tape for you.

Working with a company our size has many perks. We provide a fuel card that will give you a discount on gas in 48 states. You will have 24/7 roadside assistance as well. You can also get discounts on maintenance and repair with this useful card. You will get other special promotions and discounts throughout the year. We are committed to saving you money and making things as easy as possible.

Trucking companies are heavily taxed. You will have to pay taxes to both the IRS and the California Department of Revenue simply for operating a small business. You will also have to pay taxes to every state your drivers travel to.

Simplex Group makes sure that you are getting every tax deduction you deserve. We will ensure your taxes are paid on time, so you do not have any unpleasant surprise visits from a tax officer.

Factoring is a solution to cash flow problems or simply another form of financing by getting money advanced for loads completed

Brokers may take up to 45-90 days to pay for a load that you have agreed on and completed in good faith. Unless you have at least 40K per truck saved to fund your monthly operating expenses, like your insurance, driver pay, fuel, truck maintenance, etc., while you wait for the payment, you may be better off using a factoring service With a factoring company for a small fee you get immediate cash for your freight bills as soon the load is delivered and the paperwork is approved.

This provides you with the necessary cash flow to keep operating while you leave the collection of the payment to the factoring company.
Factoring occurs when a trucking company sells its unpaid load invoices to a freight factoring company. The factoring company will charge a small fee between 2%-4% from the overall amount of the invoice.Simplex Group has partnerted with OTR Solutions, one of the largest and most reliable  factoring companies in the nation. Our program provides you with a dedicated team to manage all your back-office needs while offering very low factoring rates, no hidden fees, and no monthly minimums. We want to do everything we can to ensure the success of your trucking business. Offering you reasonable-priced factoring can help you with cash flow when you are getting started.