Avoiding Nuclear Verdicts by Improving Operational Safety & Compliance in Trucking: Wrap Up and Additional Resources

In today’s world, trucking managers are busy with day-to-day challenges like rising fuel costs, increasingly complex regulations, and driver, technician, and equipment shortages. It is also important to take the time to understand and identify any operational issues that could make the company vulnerable to a large lawsuit.

Nuclear verdicts, lawsuits which result in judgments exceeding $1 million, are a major threat to the industry and your business. So, how can you improve operations to protect yourself and your company from these large lawsuits?

There are many articles and resources available, both within Acuity and elsewhere, to help you achieve this goal. One great place to start is the FMCSA Carrier Compliance Questionnaire (CCQ). By completing this checklist, you can privately and informally review your operation's current compliance level, assess and identify areas that need attention, then set goals to address those issues within your company. As there is no record retention requirement on the CCQ, you can dispose of the document after goals are set. If you have not already, check out our article series that breaks down each section of the CCQ and provides helpful links to resources specific to those topics. 

1. Introduction to Series—Carrier Compliance Questionnaire and Registration, Recordkeeping, and Management
2. Vehicles—Recordkeeping and Maintenance
3. Vehicles—Driver Pre- and Post-Trip Inspections and Documentation
4. Drivers—Driver Hiring and Qualification
5. Drivers—Driver Behavior and Performance (Training, Monitoring, and Corrective Action)

Evaluating and improving safety and compliance practices is as fundamental to your company’s profitable operation as driving a truck—you must always be aware and anticipate problems before they occur. The CCQ will pay dividends for you in the long run and help your business achieve continued success.

Have questions about safety and compliance for your trucking operation? Check out other trucking-related resources we offer at Acuity to help grow your business safely and profitably!