Audit notice or CHP inspection letter? Call before the deadline runs.
(213) 531-8155Where we work
Where We Work: California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona
We help motor carriers pass the audits and inspections they face: FMCSA safety audits and compliance reviews, California Highway Patrol terminal inspections, and the roadside inspections that feed both. Our practice is built in California, where the state layer on top of federal rules is the most demanding in the West. We also work with carriers in Oregon, Washington and Arizona, especially those whose trucks run into California.
This page explains how our coverage works and links to every state, region and corridor page.
How coverage works
| State | Coverage | What we focus on |
|---|---|---|
| California | On-site work covering all of California, plus remote work statewide | The full federal program plus the CHP, DMV and state layer |
| Oregon | Remote; on-site options may be available depending on schedule and requirements | The federal program and California entry on I-5 |
| Washington | Remote; on-site options may be available depending on schedule and requirements | The federal program, the Columbia crossing, and California entry |
| Arizona | Remote; on-site options may be available depending on schedule and requirements | The federal program, the Mexico border and California entry on I-10, I-8 and I-40 |
For any location outside your home base, contact us to ask about on-site options for your schedule.
Why remote works for most of an audit
An FMCSA audit or compliance review is mostly a records review. Investigators sample driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing records, hours of service records and supporting documents, vehicle maintenance files and the accident register. All of those can be requested, reviewed and corrected from documents. We run the same review an investigator would run, in the same order, and cite every finding to the rule behind it. You keep the written report whether or not you hire us to fix it.
What benefits from being in the yard is vehicle condition and the terminal itself. That is where California’s on-site work matters most, because CHP terminal inspections happen at the terminal, “off-highway at terminal locations where the operators regularly garage and maintain their vehicles,” in the CHP’s words.
California
California carriers answer to FMCSA and to three state agencies: the CHP for CA numbers, terminal inspections and roadside enforcement; the DMV for the Motor Carrier Permit and the Employer Pull Notice program; and the Air Resources Board for emissions programs. Start at our California hub, or go straight to a state program:
California regions
Our California regions follow the CHP’s field divisions, because the division where your terminal sits decides which Motor Carrier Safety Unit inspects it.
| Region | CHP division | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Inland Empire | Inland, with parts of Riverside County in Border | Inland Empire |
| Los Angeles County | Southern | Los Angeles County |
| San Diego and Imperial | Border | San Diego and Imperial |
| San Joaquin Valley | Central | San Joaquin Valley |
| Sacramento Valley | Valley | Sacramento Valley |
| Bay Area | Golden Gate | Bay Area |
California counties
Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Imperial, Kern, Fresno, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Sacramento and Alameda.
Each county page covers a different compliance problem, from port drayage in Los Angeles and leased owner-operators in Oakland to farm labor vehicles in Fresno and cross-border freight in San Diego.
Oregon
Oregon carriers get the federal program remotely, with detailed guidance on running into California. Regions: Portland metro, Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon and Eastern Oregon.
Washington
Washington carriers get the federal program remotely, including the Canadian border and the Columbia crossing. Regions: Puget Sound and Central Washington.
Arizona
Arizona carriers get the federal program remotely, with detail on each highway into California and on the Mexico border. Regions: Phoenix metro, Southern Arizona, Yuma and the Colorado River and Northern Arizona.
Multi-state corridors
Fleets that run several states on one route can start with our corridors overview, then the I-5 or I-10 page.
What we review in every engagement, wherever you are
Location changes the state layer. It does not change the core review. In every state, an engagement covers the same areas an FMCSA investigator samples:
| Area | What we check | Service page |
|---|---|---|
| Driver qualification | Applications, previous employer investigations, driving records, medical certificates, annual reviews | Driver qualification files |
| Credentials | Expiration tracking for licenses, medical cards, endorsements and certificates | Credential monitoring |
| Drug and alcohol testing | Pre-employment and random testing, Clearinghouse queries | Drug and alcohol programs |
| Hours of service | Logs, ELD data, supporting documents, exceptions claimed | Hours of service and ELD |
| Vehicles | Driver inspection reports, annual inspections, repair and maintenance records | Vehicle and maintenance compliance |
| Crashes and roadside data | The accident register and inspection history | Accident management and CSA scores |
| Audit readiness | A full mock audit, with findings cited and ranked | DOT audit preparation |
How to use the location pages
Each location page answers the question that is specific to that place, and links to the service pages for the rest. If you run trucks in more than one place, read the page for the place that worries you most first:
- If you have a California terminal, start with the region or county where it sits, because that decides your CHP division.
- If you are based outside California but deliver there, start with your state page, then the corridor you drive.
- If you cross the Mexico border, read the San Diego County, Imperial County or Southern Arizona page.
- If your fleet is growing into new vehicle classes, the Phoenix metro page lays out the weight and passenger thresholds that add new rules anywhere.
What every location page has in common
Every page on this site follows the same discipline. Regulatory statements are drawn from primary sources: the Code of Federal Regulations, the Federal Register, the California Vehicle Code and Code of Regulations, and the agencies’ own publications. Where sources conflict or a rule is in flux, we say so rather than guess. And every page ends at the same offer: the review an inspector would run, before the inspector runs it.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do you work outside California?
Yes. Coverage for Oregon, Washington and Arizona carriers is remote, and depending on the schedule and the engagement’s requirements, there may be options for on-site work. Contact us to ask about your location.
Why are your California regions organized by CHP division?
Because the CHP division where a terminal sits decides which Motor Carrier Safety Unit inspects it. Some counties, such as Riverside and Kern, are split between two divisions, so the terminal address matters more than the county name.
Can a DOT audit be prepared remotely?
Most of it. FMCSA audits review records such as driver files, testing records, logs and maintenance files, which can be reviewed and corrected from documents. Vehicle and terminal condition benefit from on-site work.
Which page should I start with if I have terminals in several counties?
Start with the county or region where your most important terminal sits, because its CHP division decides which inspector you will see. Then read the pages for your other terminals, since a company can deal with more than one division.
Do you cover Nevada, Idaho or other states?
Our location pages cover California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona. Federal FMCSA matters can be handled remotely for carriers elsewhere. Contact us to ask about your situation.
Next step
Find your page or talk to us
Call (213) 531-8155 if you have an audit letter or an inspection date. Otherwise, pick your state above or contact us to ask about coverage for your location.