1. Operating authority
Look up the USDOT or MC number and confirm that the USDOT number and the operating authority (MC, FF or MX docket) are both active. Check that the authority type fits the load — a broker authority does not allow a company to haul freight itself.
2. Insurance on file
Compare the liability (BIPD) coverage the company is required to carry with the coverage on file. Look at the insurer and the effective date, and at the insurance history: frequent cancellations are worth a question.
3. Safety record
Review roadside inspections and crashes from the last 24 months, driver and vehicle out-of-service rates, and any FMCSA safety rating. A crash record does not mean the carrier was at fault, and many carriers have never been rated.
4. Out-of-service orders
Check whether FMCSA has issued an out-of-service order to the USDOT number and whether it was rescinded. A company under an active order may not operate.
5. Registration and process agent
Carriers must update their registration (Form MCS-150) at least every 24 months. A company with operating authority must also have a process agent (BOC-3) on file.
6. Who you are talking to
Freight fraud often uses a real carrier’s name and USDOT number. Confirm that the phone number or email you are dealing with matches the company’s FMCSA registration, and call back on the registered number if it does not. A recent change of the registered phone or email is also worth a second look.
Related: Check a phone number or email · Check up to 50 carriers at once · Daily authority suspensions · Daily out-of-service orders