DOT Inspection Services in San Antonio, Texas

The Levels of DOT Inspection

When it comes to DOT inspections at either the state or federal level, there are six levels of safety analysis that you, your truck, and your trailer can potentially undergo. The Santin Auto & Truck Repair team is fully certified and qualified to perform all six levels for state or federal clearances.

• North American Standard: This is the most detailed and thorough of the six assessment levels. The North American Standard review not just the entirety of your truck and trailer both above and underneath, but also your paperwork like your daily log, license, and medical documentation. Every major component of your truck and trailer will be inspected.
• Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspection: This involves the same metrics as the North American Standard, with the only exception being that our technician won’t inspect underneath your truck and trailer.
• Driver-Only Inspection: This level is solely concerned with you as the driver. Our technician will look over your documentation and any history of incidents.
• Special Inspection: A special inspection involves our technician looking at a specific part of your truck or trailer.
• Vehicle-Only Inspection: A vehicle-only inspection is the same as the North American Standard, only the driver isn’t present.
• Enhanced NAS Inspection for Radioactive Shipments: The last type of DOT inspection, this is a specialized inspection meant only for those hauling radioactive or biohazardous materials.

Passing a DOT Inspection

In order to ensure you pass your DOT inspection, regardless of whether it’s state or federal, make sure your truck, trailer, and paperwork are all in good order and everything’s in working condition. One of the biggest ways to guarantee this is having an effective preventive maintenance program that catches any problems before they can become worse and cause a DOT violation.

Upon the completion of a DOT inspection with Santin Auto & Truck Repair, you and your truck and trailer will either pass with flying colors or fall into one of two violation categories. In both cases, we’ll compile a list of any violations we’ve found and provide you with a quote for our services concerning the necessary repairs.

Violations, Non-Out of Service

In this instance, a violation or violations were found but they weren’t serious enough to place your truck or yourself out of service. You must address the violations within 15 days of the inspection and, upon completion, a report must be sent to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) noting all the repairs were completed on time.

Violations, Out of Service

The worst result, being placed out of service means the discovered violations are severe enough that either your truck or yourself cannot operate on the road without posing a danger to other motorists. As such, the offending party can’t drive again until the violations are addressed, corrected, and a report sent to the FMCSA detailing the addressed violations.

Contact Us

If your fleet vehicle is due for its annual inspection, bring it to Santin Auto and Truck Repair Center. We will thoroughly inspect your vehicle and help you ensure it meets all requirements to pass its DOT inspection. Call us today to schedule your truck and trailer’s inspection, or to find out more about our services.