Frequently asked questions.

Johnson DOT Services

Who is Johnson DOT Services?

Johnson DOT Services (formerly Office Tenders) is a third party DOT Compliance company that provides services/ filings that are required by the Federal Carrier Safety Administration. Since 1995 we have helped nearly 1,000 companies become compliant with Federal Motor Carrier regulations. Our goal is to make the hiring and retention of drivers, and the record keeping of these drivers as easy as possible.

How do I begin services with Johnson DOT Services?

To begin working with Johnson DOT Services visit our homepage www.johnsondotservices.com; select Request a Quote to request a quote, Get Started Today to sign up for services, or Recommend Services for Me if you do not know all items you might need assistance with.

How do enroll in updates from Johnson DOT Services?

Driver Maintenance

Who must have Driver Qualification Files maintained?

Required for drivers of commercial vehicles if;

They operate a commercial vehicle with a GVWR or GCWR over 10,000 pounds
They operate a vehicle transporting more than 16 people
They operate a commercial vehicle transporting people for compensation
They operate a commercial vehicle that requires hazmat placards
Driver Qualification Files must be maintained for the duration of employment + 3 years.

Do I need a Medical Examiner’s Certificate/ DOT Medical Card?

Drivers of commercial vehicles must have a DOT medical card if any of the following conditions apply;

Driver transports hazardous materials.
Driver operates a vehicle that carries more than 15 people.
Driver operates a commercial vehicle that carries more than 8 people for pay.
Driver operates a vehicle with a gross combined weight of more than 10,000 pounds.

Drivers with interstate medical cards must self certify with their state each time their medical card is renewed. Drivers with intrastate medical cards must carry a copy of their medical card.

How do I complete self certification of my renewed DOT medical card?

Self certification of the DOT medical card can be done several ways depending on which state you are in. Use the below link to see what options are in your state. https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/registration/commercial-drivers-license/63811/august-2018-state-instructions-submitting-med-certificate-wsc.pdf

We are an existing customer, how do we add a new driver to our fleet?

The easiest way to initiate the hiring of a new driver is to provide the potential new hire the New Hire Passcode and to instruct them to visit the New Hire page to complete the Driver Application and MVR Consent forms. The other option is to visit the Existing Customer page and select add a Driver File, we will then send additional onboarding documents to the driver using the provided driver email address.

What is the process to hiring a commercial driver?

See New Hire Process. Pre Employment Drug Screening, Pre Employment FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse query, review of Motor Vehicle Record check, Driver Application per §391.21, and background investigation being the primary items.

How long should driver’s logs/ records of duty be kept?

Driver’s logs or records of duty should be kept for a period of 6 months.

Drug Program

Who needs to enroll in a DOT Drug Testing Program?

DOT Drug testing is required for anyone who operates a commercial vehicle over 26,000 pounds, or operates a commercial passenger transport vehicle capable of carrying 16 or more persons, or operates a hazardous material commercial vehicle. This includes owner operators who are the sole driver, and persons enrolled in a DOT Drug Program through another company. Additionally employers need to ensure they are meeting the requirements of the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, as of 01/06/2020 this is a federal requirement.

What happens if I do not complete a random screen selection?

Refusal of a random DOT screening is equivalent to a positive tests. ALL positive tests are REQUIRED to be reported to the FMCSA Clearinghouse. The MRO will complete this reporting.

When is a DOT drug screening needed?

DOT Drug testing should be completed for Pre Employment, Random, Post-Accident, Reasonable Suspicion, Return to Duty, and Follow Up testing. See “We’ve Had An Accident” under the Reference Center to see if your driver needs a post accident drug and alcohol test.

Can I hire a driver who previously tested positive on a DOT drug test?

A driver who previously tested positive on a DOT Drug Test can be hired IF the following conditions are met;

They have completed the Substance Abuse Professional administrated program.
They have completed a Return to Duty drug test and verified Negative results are on file.
They have completed the follow up test plan, or are continuing to met the requirements of the follow-up test plan.
They will be enrolled in a Random DOT Drug Pool, this is separate and in addition to the follow-up testing.

C/TPA

Am I required to be enrolled with a C/TPA for DOT Drug Testing?

Owner operators are required to enroll in a DOT Drug Program with a third party. Companies who do not fall under the owner operator classification do not need to enroll in a C/TPA program per regulations, however we make handling the regulations easy.

FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

Am I required to complete FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Registration?

As of 01/06/2020 this is a federal requirement for ALL employers with drivers subject to DOT Drug test regulations. This requirement is separate of DOT Drug Testing. Drivers hired on, or after 01/06/2020 are required to register with the website. Drivers are also required to register in the event a Full Query is required.

What role does Johnson DOT Services provide within the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse?

Johnson DOT Services serves as a C/TPA within the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. We can send query requests and on your behalf and enter negative drug screen results. With query consent forms on file we automatically run the limited queries on each of your drivers as required per federal regulation.

When is a FMCSA Clearinghouse query required?

A pre employment full query MUST be completed prior to a driver completing safety sensitive functions (driving), this is REQUIRED for all drivers hired on or after 01/06/2020. Additionally ALL drivers must have a limited query performed “at least annually” per the FMCSA. In order for this to be conducted the driver must have a completed query consent form on file. If this limited query shows an issue the driver’s history a full query will need to be conducted. Full queries require the driver to be registered with the FMCSA Clearinghouse website as a driver in order to consent to the request to the query request.

Fees

Who covers the collection fee for drug and/ or alcohol tests?

The customer/client covers the cost of drug and alcohol screen collections at the time of the screening. Johnson DOT Services can help find a cost effective option in your area.

When will I be billed for Driver Qualification and/or DOT Drug Program Enrollment?

Customers will need to cover the enrollment cost at the time of set up for enrollment in the DOT Drug and/or Driver Qualification Program. This fee will need to covered for the enrollment to be made active. Enrollment begins upon payment of the invoice. Renewal of enrollment invoices will automatically be sent annually from the enrollment date.

How can I make payment to Johnson DOT Services?

Payment can be made to Johnson DOT Services through the emailed Square Payment link, visiting Bill Pay, by keeping a card on file with Johnson DOT Services, or by making payment over the phone. Payments by check can also be mailed to; Johnson DOT Services PO Box 482, Calumet MI 49913.

What happens if I do not pay my DOT Drug and/or Driver Qualification renewal in time?

Johnson DOT Services invoices DOT Drug and Driver Qualification renewals 45 days in advance of the renewal period, these renewals are due by the renewal period starting. All renewals not paid in time will result in account termination and a $100.00 reinstatement fee assessed. This allows us to remove non responsive customers that have a negative effect on our pools and incurring fees on their behalf.

Fleet/ USDOT

Who is required to file a 2290?

All units that are registered at 55,000 pounds or more must file a 2290 by the end of the month following the month in which the unit was first used on public roads. Standard filing begins July 1st, therefore filing must be completed and paid by the end of August. In many instances we can prefile your 2290 tax.

Do I need a USDOT number?

Commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds are required to have a USDOT number. This number is required to be displayed along with the company name and MC number if applicable.

How often is my USDOT number required to be updated?

Your company USDOT number must be updated every two years regardless if your business operations have, or have not changed. The month that this filing must be completed in is determined by your USDOT Number, the 2nd to last digit being even numbered calls out even numbered years, the 2nd to last digit being odd calls out odd numbered years. The last digit calls out the month;

1= January
2= February
3= March
4= April
5= May
6= June
7= July
8= August
9 September
0= October

Who needs a MC/ Federal Operating Authority Number?

Any carrier who hauls “for hire” commodities across state lines MUST obtain and maintain a Federal Operating Authority/ MC Number. Some states require carriers to obtain and maintain an Intrastate Operating Authority for “for hire” operations within their state.

Who must complete UCR registration, and how frequently?

Interstate carriers and brokers must complete a UCR filing annually by the end of the UCR grace period. The fees assessed will be dependent on the size of the carrier interstate fleet.

I have received a DOT Audit notice, what do I do now?

All documents must be submitted to the DOT auditor through the provided link as quickly as possible. Johnson DOT Services can assist with this audit.

What accounts/filings do I need to operate as an Interstate Carrier?

Several items pertain only to Interstate operations including; annual UCR filings, IFTA filings, IRP filings, and federal operating authorities. These may or may not pertain to your fleet dependent on your fleet.

When do I need a DOT annual vehicle inspection?

Under §396.21, the DOT inspection requirements, each commercial vehicle must be inspected at least once every 12 months by a qualified inspector. This includes individual inspections of truck and trailer. Inspection label must be affixed to the inspected unit and inspection form available upon request.

What emergency equipment am I required to carry in my commercial motor vehicle?

Commercial vehicles must carry the following safety equipment;

Portable Fire Extinguishers
Warning Devices for Stopped Vehicles (reflective triangles or flares)
Spare Fuses