Frequently Asked Questions — Transport Compliance

It’s a pool managed by a third-party administrator (C/TPA) that places your drivers into a shared random-testing pool, as required by US FMCSA/DOT regulations. Profirm acts as your consortium and runs the whole program.

If you or your drivers operate a commercial vehicle requiring a CDL into the US, yes. As soon as you have a USDOT number, a drug & alcohol testing program — including consortium enrollment — is a prerequisite: without it you fail the FMCSA new-entrant safety audit. Even a single owner-operator must belong to a consortium for random testing.

The FMCSA currently requires an annual rate of 50% for drugs and 10% for alcohol, based on the number of drivers in the pool.

It’s a US federal database that records commercial drivers’ drug and alcohol violations. As your C/TPA, Profirm performs the annual and pre-employment queries and reports violations there.

Pricing depends mainly on the number of drivers. Request a free quote — we give you a clear price, no obligation.

FMCSA penalties can reach $16,000 USD per violation, and the carrier is responsible. That’s exactly why we run the program from A to Z for you.

FMCSA/DOT requirements target carriers operating into the US. If you drive there, even occasionally, they apply. Contact us and we’ll confirm your situation.

Fill out the form or call us at 450-245-0005. We handle the paperwork and enroll you quickly, often the same day.

Yes, if you operate in interstate commerce with a vehicle over 10,001 lb (gross vehicle or combination weight rating), carry 9 or more passengers for compensation (16 or more without), or haul placardable hazardous materials. That covers most Quebec and Canadian carriers delivering into the US. Profirm handles the registration for you.

UCR (Unified Carrier Registration) is a mandatory annual registration for carriers operating in interstate commerce with a USDOT number, including Canadian carriers entering the US. Fees depend on the number of vehicles. The UCR year follows the calendar year and enforcement usually starts January 1, so you must renew before year-end. Profirm takes care of it every year.

Yes. The FMCSA requires an MCS-150 update at least every two years, even if nothing changed. The year depends on the next-to-last digit of your USDOT number: odd digit, odd years; even digit, even years. Without an update, your number can be deactivated and penalties may apply.

The basic package covers DOT and UCR registration. The complete package adds help with the FMCSA new-entrant safety audit and preparing your compliance: drug and alcohol program, driver files, hours of service, maintenance.

IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) is the agreement between the 10 Canadian provinces and the 48 contiguous US states for fuel tax on trucks that travel in several jurisdictions. You hold one licence, in your base province, and file one return per quarter: it splits the tax according to the distance driven and the fuel bought in each jurisdiction.

Any carrier with a vehicle that travels in at least two member jurisdictions and has 3 or more axles, or 2 axles and a gross weight over 26,000 lb (11,797 kg), or is used in a combination over 26,000 lb. Each vehicle must display two IFTA decals (stickers) for the year.

Every quarter, by the last day of the following month: April 30 (January–March), July 31 (April–June), October 31 (July–September) and January 31 (October–December). A return is required even for a quarter with no distance.

The penalty is the greater of $50 or 10% of the net tax due, plus interest. Even with no tax owing, a late return costs at least $50. Repeated late filings can lead to suspension of the IFTA licence.

We produce your quarterly returns from what you already have: Geotab reports, fuel card statements (Petro-Canada, Irving and others), odometer readings. We obtain your licences and decals, and we also prepare state reports: NY Highway Use Tax, Oregon, Kentucky, New Mexico and Connecticut.

It’s a New York State tax, separate from IFTA, on trucks and tractors over 18,000 lb travelling on its highways. Each vehicle needs a certificate of registration and a decal, followed by periodic returns (form MT-903). If you only go to New York occasionally, a trip certificate may be enough. Profirm handles the registration and the returns.

A permanent permit covers a jurisdiction you drive in regularly, for the whole year. A temporary permit covers a specific trip into a jurisdiction where you are not registered, for a few days. The right choice depends on how often you travel and where.

It depends on your routes, your vehicles and what you haul. Profirm analyses your needs, obtains all the permits required to operate and handles the renewals. You can also take our free 6-question compliance check.

The NIR is your identification number in the Commission des transports du Québec (CTQ) Register of Owners and Operators of Heavy Vehicles. Registration is mandatory to register, put into service or operate a heavy vehicle of 4,500 kg or more in Quebec, whether you are from Quebec or elsewhere. It must be updated every year.

The NEQ is the Quebec enterprise number assigned by the Registraire des entreprises. Most registered businesses must file an annual updating declaration; without it, the registration can be struck off.

Yes. We track your deadlines (NIR, NEQ, UCR, IFTA, annual permits) and do the renewals so you always stay compliant.

For managers and office staff: drug and alcohol, supervisor (drug and alcohol), log book auditor, safety director, Law 430. For drivers: pre-trip inspection, hours of service, preventive maintenance and mechanical inspection, road evaluation, defensive driving.

Yes, for carriers subject to the FMCSA: any supervisor who may decide on a reasonable-suspicion test must have completed at least 60 minutes of training on drugs and 60 minutes on alcohol. Our supervisor training is recognized by the FMCSA.

In groups or privately, at our Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu office, online or at your premises, in French or English.