New Entrant Safety Audit Shield
Turnkey preparation for the FMCSA new entrant safety audit — Driver Qualification files, maintenance systems, and Clearinghouse / Part 382 compliance — before the audit window and through the 18-month monitoring period.
Independent safety advisory firm · Registered C/TPA · Uses public FMCSA data · Not affiliated with FMCSA
Already received a failed new entrant safety audit notice, or a refusal-to-permit notice? That is a different track. See
Speak with a Safety Specialist
Initiate Authority Defense: call (208) 437-6557
After you submit a request, we call you next business day.
Who the Shield is for
• New interstate carriers with an activated USDOT number entering the 18-month new entrant monitoring period (49 CFR § 385.307)
• Carriers expecting a safety audit within about 12 months of beginning operations (FMCSA New Entrant Safety Assurance Program guidance for property carriers)
• Owners who need Driver Qualification files, inspection and maintenance programs, and drug and alcohol / Clearinghouse controls built correctly the first time
Passing the audit does not end the 18-month monitoring period. The Shield is built for preparation before the safety audit — often within 12 months of beginning operations — and through that 18-month window.
What the Shield includes
• New entrant readiness assessment against basic safety management controls
• Driver Qualification (DQ) file setup aligned to 49 CFR Part 391 expectations
• Maintenance / inspection system setup aligned to Part 396 practices
• Clearinghouse registration support and query workflow orientation (Part 382); SunPeak is a Registered C/TPA
• Optional add-a-driver consortium enrollment — $295 per driver per year: enrolls the driver in SunPeak’s drug and alcohol consortium (C/TPA) and covers pre-employment, post-accident, and random testing for the full year (annual renewal). This rate is separate from federal Clearinghouse registration and query fees. It is consortium testing only — not a general compliance or monitoring price.
• Audit-day document binder / digital package organization
• Specialist walkthrough ahead of the audit
This is not a guarantee of a “pass” finding. FMCSA determines whether basic safety management controls are adequate. An initial audit-preparation package and a failed-audit corrective response are not interchangeable.
How Shield preparation proceeds
1. Speak with a Safety Specialist — confirm the USDOT activation date and operation type.
2. Readiness assessment — policies, drivers, equipment, and Clearinghouse status.
3. Build the Shield — Driver Qualification files, the maintenance system, and drug and alcohol / Clearinghouse controls.
4. Pre-audit review — a mock document pull and gap close.
5. Audit-window support — as engaged with your Safety Specialist.
6. Post-audit monitoring through the remainder of the 18-month period, as engaged.
Documents typically needed
• USDOT activation / new entrant correspondence
• Driver roster and CDL / medical certificate copies
• Vehicle list and inspection records
• Existing policy manuals, if any
• Clearinghouse employer login status
• Required filings or insurance filings, and financial-responsibility evidence, as applicable
Do not send medical records, drug-test results, or account passwords through the website.
Pricing
New Entrant Safety Audit Shield package:
Speak with a Safety Specialist for pricing.
Add a driver — consortium testing (optional):
$295 per driver per year — consortium enrollment through SunPeak’s Registered C/TPA program, covering pre-employment, post-accident, and random testing for the full year (annual renewal). This is distinct from federal Clearinghouse registration.
Clearinghouse registration / queries:
Speak with a Safety Specialist for pricing. This is not the $295 consortium rate.
Call (208) 437-6557 or use the form below. We call you next business day.
Frequently asked questions
Is the new entrant period 12 or 18 months?
FMCSA monitors new entrants for 18 months. The safety audit is generally conducted within 12 months after beginning operations for property carriers. Passing the audit does not end the 18-month monitoring period.
Do you guarantee we will pass?
No. We prepare your basic safety management controls and records so you can demonstrate adequacy. FMCSA makes the determination.
Are you a law firm?
No. We are an independent safety advisory firm and a Registered C/TPA. This is compliance preparation, not legal advice.
Can owner-operators use this?
Yes — scaled to a single-driver or small-fleet operation. Speak with a Safety Specialist for fit.
Is this the same as failed-audit or refile help?
No. This page is first-time audit preparation. The response appropriate to an existing failed-audit notice is a different process. If you already failed the audit, or you have a refusal-to-permit notice, see
Failed-audit corrective action under § 385.319 / § 385.325 is a different track than first-time audit preparation. Under § 385.337, refusal to permit a new entrant safety audit has its own 10-day written-agreement timeline.
What if I am already under a notice deadline?
Initiate Authority Defense at (208) 437-6557, or send the form on this page and we will point you to the correct track. We call you next business day.
Speak with a Safety Specialist
Tell us your USDOT number and where you are in the new entrant window. We call you next business day.
Prefer to call? (208) 437-6557. If you already have a failed-audit or refusal-to-permit notice, Initiate Authority Defense and see
Prepare before the audit window closes.
Speak with a Safety Specialist about Shield preparation, or Initiate Authority Defense if you already have a notice in hand.
Speak with a Safety Specialist
Initiate Authority Defense: call (208) 437-6557
SunPeak Safety & Compliance Group is an independent safety advisory firm and a Registered C/TPA. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of FMCSA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, or any state enforcement agency. No outcomes are guaranteed. FMCSA alone decides whether basic safety management controls are adequate. Preparation, “Shield,” and related wording describe compliance documentation and advisory services — not a guaranteed audit pass.