DataQs Challenge Help for Carriers and Drivers

A violation on your record that you think is wrong? We read the inspection, check it against the evidence and tell you honestly whether it can be challenged. Where there is a basis, we prepare the DataQs request and track it to a decision.

What a DataQs request can fix

DataQs is FMCSA’s online system for asking the agency that owns a record to review it. For roadside inspections that’s usually the state that did the inspection. A request has a real basis when, for example:

• The violation was recorded wrong. The wrong code, a defect that wasn’t there, or facts the report gets wrong.
• It’s on the wrong record. The wrong carrier, USDOT number, driver or vehicle.
• The ticket was dismissed or reduced. When a citation tied to a violation is dismissed or reduced in court, the inspection can be updated to match.
• The crash wasn’t preventable. Some crash types qualify for FMCSA’s Crash Preventability Determination Program, filed through DataQs.
• A duplicate or data error. The same inspection or crash entered twice, or the wrong date or location.

What it can’t fix

A valid violation stays on the record. DataQs isn’t a way to argue with a rule, and FMCSA can restrict filers who send requests with no basis. That’s why we review every violation first and only file where there is a basis for one.

Evidence we ask for

• The full inspection report (every page) and the report number
• Driver photos and videos from the stop, with date and time stamps
• Repair receipts, maintenance records and annual inspection reports
• ELD records and supporting documents for hours-of-service violations
• Court paperwork if a citation was dismissed or reduced
• For crashes: the police accident report and photos of the scene and vehicles

How long violations count, and how long reviews take

• CSA: inspections count in FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System for 24 months, with the most recent weighted most.
• PSP: a driver’s Pre-Employment Screening Program report shows 3 years of inspections and 5 years of crashes.
• Review clock: under FMCSA’s DataQs rules in effect since September 18, 2026, states must open a request within 7 days and decide the initial review within 21 days. A reconsideration also has 21 days, and a final review has 45. The clock pauses when the reviewer asks for more information.

What we do for you

We read each inspection, check it against the evidence, tell you which violations have a basis for a DataQ, write the request so a reviewer can follow it, attach the evidence, and track it through every review stage until there’s a decision. If a request is denied and new facts exist, we look at reconsideration.

Online special: violations management for a full year

$900 per truck for a full year. We review every violation you receive and file a DataQ wherever there is a basis for one, once you send us the requested information. You’ll work with an industry specialist with over 20 years of experience.

• No one can promise a removal. The reviewing state agency, or FMCSA for some request types, decides every request, and we tell you honestly when a violation isn’t worth challenging.
• We show your drivers how to photograph and document roadside inspections, so we have the facts we need to move quickly on each violation.
• The form asks how many trucks (power units) you run. Your invoice is $900 for each truck, for a full year.

Get the online special

Train your drivers: photograph every roadside inspection

The strongest DataQs requests are built at the roadside. We show your drivers what to capture, so we can review each violation with real evidence. Drivers should always follow the officer’s instructions and take photos only when it’s safe and allowed.

1. The inspection report. Photograph every page before leaving, so the report number, date, time, location and each violation code are readable.
2. The cited item, wide and close. One photo showing where it is on the truck or trailer, and one close-up. Add a tire gauge, ruler or tape measure where size or depth matters.
3. Proof it was working or compliant. Lights on, brakes adjusted, load secured, placards in place. Short videos help for lights and air leaks.
4. Documents on hand at the stop. ELD screen and status, registration, permits, cab card, insurance card, shipping papers and the driver’s medical certificate, if one of those was cited.
5. Time and place. Keep the phone’s date, time and location stamps on, and note the mile marker or address.
6. What was said. Write down anything the officer said about each violation, and the officer’s name or badge number if it’s on the report.
7. After the stop. Keep repair receipts with dates, and any court result if a ticket was dismissed or reduced.

Send the photos and the report to SunPeak the same day. Please don’t send drug test results or medical records through the web form; we’ll give you a secure way to share anything sensitive.

How buying online works

You can buy online from start to finish, in five steps.

1. Fill out the short form. Choose the service you need under Service Requested, enter your USDOT number and how many trucks you run. We’ll ask for the rest when we call. It takes about a minute. Or call (208) 437-6557 and press 1 for a live agent.
2. We email your invoice. Your SunPeak invoice comes by email through Zoho Books, with a secure online pay link. The online special is $900 per truck for a full year, for each truck you list. For other services we use simple flat-rate pricing, quoted before you pay, so we confirm your price with you before the invoice goes out.
3. Pay your invoice online. Use the secure link in the email. If the invoice is still unpaid, we call to help you finish.
4. E-sign your service agreement. After you pay, we email your SunPeak service agreement to e-sign through Zoho Sign.
5. A SunPeak agent contacts you the next business day. The next business day after you pay, an agent contacts you to request the information we need and start working on your violations.

Buy online

Want to talk now? Call (208) 437-6557 and press 1 for a live agent, Mon–Fri, 7am–4pm Mountain. Or send the form with your questions, and a SunPeak agent contacts you the next business day.

Frequently asked questions

Can you guarantee a violation will be removed?
No. The reviewing state agency, or FMCSA for some request types, decides every DataQs request. We review every violation you receive and file a DataQ wherever there is a basis for one, and we tell you honestly when a violation isn’t worth challenging.

What does the $900 online special cover?
It’s $900 per truck for a full year. We review every violation you receive and file a DataQ wherever there is a basis for one, once you send us the requested information. You’ll work with an industry specialist with over 20 years of experience.

Can I file a DataQ myself?
Yes. Anyone with an FMCSA Portal or DataQs account can file at dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov. Our free guide walks through every step. Carriers use us to save time and to avoid the mistakes that get requests closed without a change.

What information do you need from me?
The full inspection report, your driver’s photos from the stop, and any repair receipts, ELD records or court papers that show the violation was wrong. We send you a short list for each violation.

Can a dismissed ticket remove a violation?
Often it can be updated. When a citation tied to a violation is dismissed or reduced in court, a DataQs request with the court record can ask the state to update the inspection to match the result.

How long does a DataQs review take?
Under FMCSA’s rules in effect since September 18, 2026, states must open a request within 7 days and decide the initial review within 21 days. A reconsideration also has 21 days, and a final review has 45.

Related help

• DOT violations help (all services)
• How to file a DataQ (free guide)
• Out-of-service order help
• Post-accident drug and alcohol testing
• Failed new entrant safety audit help