Plain answers.

Does a trucking company need a website?

Yes — because brokers and shippers Google you before they book you, and 7 out of 10 small carriers run their business on a personal email address with no web presence at all, looking identical to the fraud cases everyone fears.

How do brokers pay carriers?

Brokers pay carriers on the rate confirmation agreed at booking, after the carrier submits proof of delivery (POD) and an invoice — typically net-30 standard terms, with most carriers using QuickPay (net-2 to net-7 for a 1.5-3% fee) or factoring to accelerate payment.

How do carriers find loads?

Carriers find loads through four channels: direct-shipper customer relationships (highest margin), broker relationships and load boards (largest volume), digital freight platforms (mid-margin, fast booking), and back-haul / lane partnerships with other carriers.

How do carriers get direct shipper freight without a load board?

Direct freight comes from being findable and provable: a real web presence shippers can vet, systematic local prospecting in the lanes you already run, and patience — most direct relationships start as backup capacity and grow.

How do I check my CSA score?

Log into FMCSA's Safety Measurement System with your USDOT number and PIN to see your full CSA percentiles across all seven BASICs — the public can only see some of them, but brokers' vetting tools surface plenty.

How do I file my MCS-150 biennial update?

Every carrier must update its MCS-150 (Motor Carrier Identification Report) at least once every 24 months — it's free, takes about 15 minutes online through FMCSA's registration system, and skipping it gets your USDOT number deactivated.

How do you start a trucking company?

Starting a trucking company takes about 90 days and $15K-$60K in setup, broken into four steps: register a business entity, get USDOT and MC operating authority from FMCSA, line up insurance (the biggest single cost), and either buy/lease a truck or sign on as owner-operator.

How long does it take to get MC authority?

Plan on four to eight weeks from application to active authority: FMCSA's $300 application, a mandatory 21-day protest period, plus insurance and BOC-3 filings — and most brokers won't load you until your authority has some age on it.

What do brokers check before booking a carrier?

Authority status, insurance, safety data, authority age, and — increasingly — identity signals: does your email, phone, and web presence match your FMCSA record, or do you look like a double-brokering front?

What does an MC number mean?

An MC (Motor Carrier) number is the FMCSA-issued operating authority that lets a carrier haul freight across state lines for compensation, distinct from the USDOT number which is just a registration ID — most for-hire interstate carriers hold both.

What is a bill of lading?

A bill of lading (BOL) is the legal contract between the shipper and the carrier for a freight shipment, and also the receipt the receiver signs to acknowledge delivery. It documents what's being shipped, who's shipping it, who's receiving it, and the terms — and it's the carrier's primary defense if a load gets disputed.

What is a carrier packet?

A carrier packet is the onboarding paperwork a broker requires before booking you the first time: signed broker-carrier agreement, W-9, certificate of insurance, authority letter, and payment details — increasingly handled through digital onboarding platforms.

What is a CSA score?

CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) is the FMCSA's carrier-safety measurement system. It scores each carrier on 7 BASICs (categories like Unsafe Driving, Hours of Service, Vehicle Maintenance, Crash Indicator) using a rolling 24 months of roadside inspection and crash data — and the percentile rankings drive everything from insurance premiums to broker booking decisions.

What is a dry van in trucking?

A dry van is a fully enclosed trailer used to haul non-perishable, non-hazardous freight — typically 53 feet long with a cargo capacity around 45,000 pounds and 3,800 cubic feet. It's the most common trailer type in North American trucking, accounting for roughly 70% of all truckload freight.

What is a flatbed truck?

A flatbed is an open-deck trailer with no walls or roof, used to haul cargo that's too large, too heavy, or too oddly shaped for an enclosed van — typically steel, lumber, machinery, building materials, and oversize loads. The driver is responsible for securing the load with straps, chains, and tarps.

What is a freight broker?

A freight broker is a licensed intermediary who arranges truckload freight for shippers — booking the carrier, negotiating the rate, handling the paperwork, and collecting payment from the shipper to pay the carrier. Brokers don't own trucks; they earn a margin between shipper rate and carrier rate, typically 12-18% of gross.

What is a fuel surcharge in trucking?

A fuel surcharge (FSC) is a separate line item on a freight rate that adjusts the carrier's pay up or down as diesel prices move. It's calculated from a published fuel index (most commonly the DOE/EIA weekly retail diesel price) so neither the shipper nor the carrier is left absorbing fuel volatility.

What is a rate confirmation?

A rate confirmation (rate con) is the signed agreement between a broker and a carrier locking in the pay, pickup/delivery times, and special instructions for a specific load. It's the carrier's legal proof of what they're owed when the load delivers — and the broker can't change the pay without re-issuing it.

What is a reefer truck?

A reefer (refrigerated trailer) is an insulated semi-trailer with a diesel-powered refrigeration unit that maintains a set temperature anywhere from -20°F to +70°F. Reefers haul roughly 20% of US truckload freight and dominate the produce, frozen food, dairy, and pharmaceutical lanes.

What is a trucking carrier?

A trucking carrier is a company licensed by the FMCSA (in the US) to haul freight for other businesses, identified by a unique USDOT number and usually an MC operating authority number.

What is an ELD (electronic logging device)?

An ELD is the FMCSA-mandated device that automatically records a truck driver's hours of service (HOS) — replacing paper logbooks. It connects to the truck's engine, captures driving time, location, and engine status, and is required on virtually every commercial motor vehicle running interstate since the December 2017 mandate.

What is C-TPAT certification?

C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) is the US Customs and Border Protection's voluntary supply-chain security program. Companies — including carriers, importers, and logistics providers — undergo a security audit in exchange for faster border processing, reduced inspections, and eligibility for FAST lanes.

What is detention pay in trucking?

Detention pay (also called demurrage) is the per-hour fee a shipper or receiver owes the carrier when loading or unloading takes longer than the agreed free time — typically 2 hours free, then $50-$100 per hour after. It compensates the carrier for the truck's productive time lost sitting at a dock.

What is FAST certification?

FAST (Free and Secure Trade) is a joint US/Canada and US/Mexico CBP-CBSA-SAT program that pre-vets low-risk drivers and shipments for expedited border processing — FAST-certified trucks use dedicated FAST lanes at the border and typically clear in minutes rather than hours.

What is intermodal freight?

Intermodal freight uses standardized shipping containers that move seamlessly between trucks, trains, and ships without being unpacked. The ocean container or domestic 53-foot box rides a rail flat-car for the long-haul middle leg, then a drayage truck handles the first and last 50-200 miles to the actual shipper or receiver.

What is the FMCSA new entrant safety audit?

Every new interstate carrier enters an 18-month "new entrant" monitoring period and must pass a safety audit — usually within the first 12 months — proving it has working drug-and-alcohol testing, driver qualification files, hours-of-service records, and insurance.