If you run a commercial vehicles business transporting people or hauling cargo interstate, you need to be registered with the FMCSA and carry a USDOT number. You will also need a USDOT number if you transport hazardous materials of quantities and types requiring a safety permit. The DOT number acts as a distinctive identifier when collecting and monitoring business inspections, crash investigations, compliance reviews, and safety information acquired during audits. You need to renew your DOT number after two years. As a business owner, you have a busy schedule such that maintaining your licensing status, makes it necessary that you work with a permitting service. However, permitting services are not the same and to be sure of remaining legal at all times, you have to select the best. On this page are tips to help you choose a great permitting service.
Seek recommendations. So many people around you are in the trucking business. You need to talk to them to know which permitting services they use and if they’d recommend them. If there are no reliable sources of recommendations or you require more insights, read feedback online. People will always praise permitting services that serve their permitting needs well and criticize those that do not meet their expectations. Hence, you should include in your index permitting services that people approve through online comments and word-of-mouth recommendations.
How experienced is the permitting service? You need assurance your permitting service is an expert. An expert will know when your permits expire, hence renewing them before you get on the wrong side of the law. The permitting service will also know when it is necessary to make changes to your permits and advice you accordingly. Moreover, the permitting service knows what’s needed to apply, amend, and renew permits, thus not taking much time. You can know which permitting services have adequate experience by checking the duration in which they have been in operation. You can also look at how many clients they have helped meet their permitting needs.
Is the permitting service a full-service company? Even after applying for your DOT number, you will have to amend or renew your license. You may not know when or circumstances under which to amend or renew your permit. This makes it vital to work with a full-service permitting company. Such a permitting service will apply, renew, and amend your license as necessary to ensure your business is always covered. This is crucial because it’ll give you the peace and time you need to focus on other core aspects of your business.
Finally, check the cost. Due to tough economic times, you might be seeking to lower your licensing costs. However, you shouldn’t do so and compromise service quality. However, this isn’t to mean that you should select the most expensive permitting service. Instead, compare the prices of permitting services to know the prevailing rate. Potential permitting services should be known for satisfying their clients to be sure they’ll meet your licensing needs no matter how cheap they are.