How to ask FMCSA to review inspection or crash data with DataQs

Roadside inspection reports, violations and crash reports feed the safety records that carriers, drivers and enforcement look at. When one of those records is wrong, the place to raise it is DataQs, the system the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) runs for that purpose.

This guide explains what DataQs is for, what to gather before you file, and what to expect afterward.

What DataQs is for

DataQs lets you file a Request for Data Review about a specific record that FMCSA publishes. Common reasons include:

• An inspection or violation recorded against the wrong driver or the wrong carrier.
• A violation on a report that you believe does not match what happened at the roadside.
• A crash report with incorrect details, or one that is listed twice.
• A citation tied to a violation that a court later dismissed or decided in your favor.

DataQs is a review process for the accuracy of data. It is not an appeal of a fine and it is not a court.

Before you file

A request is easier to review when it is specific and documented. Gather what applies to your situation:

• The inspection report or crash report the request is about, including its report number.
• Documents that support your account, such as shipping papers, logs, repair records, photos or court records.
• A short, factual explanation of what you believe is wrong and what the correct information is.

Keep the explanation factual

State what the record says, what you believe is correct, and which document shows it. Leave out arguments about fairness; reviewers are checking the record against the evidence.

How to file

Requests are filed online at the FMCSA DataQs site (opens in a new tab). You sign in, choose the type of request, identify the record, write your explanation and upload your documents.

Your request is sent to the office responsible for that data, which is often the state agency whose officer wrote the inspection or crash report. That office reviews it and posts a response in DataQs.

What happens next

Check your DataQs account for the response and for any request for more information. If the reviewing office corrects the record, the corrected data is what FMCSA systems, including the ones behind CSA, use going forward. If the request is closed without a change, read the response carefully before deciding whether you have new information that would justify asking again.

Where ATDSA fits

ATDSA does not decide DataQs requests, and no one can promise how a review will come out. Members who want help getting organized before they file can contact ATDSA so staff can help sort the records and next steps that fit the situation.