Operating Authorities

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) registration process requires that companies define the type of Motor Carrier, Broker, Shipper and/or Freight Forwarder business operation they plan to establish. The Agency administers the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) and Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) that govern interstate—and some intrastate—commercial trucking and bus industries.

The (FMCSA) establishes standards for commercial motor vehicles, their drivers, and truck and bus companies involved in the interstate transportation of passengers and cargo, including Hazardous Materials.

The Agency's responsibilities include monitoring and enforcing compliance with regulations governing both safety and commerce. Its focus on both concerns—safety and financial responsibility—is reflected in the dual path of its current registration process.

Companies that operate commercial vehicles transporting passengers or hauling cargo in interstate commerce must be registered with the FMCSA and must have a USDOT Number. Also, commercial intrastate hazardous materials carriers who haul quantities requiring a safety permit must register for a USDOT Number. The USDOT Number serves as a unique identifier when collecting and monitoring a company's safety information acquired during audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations, and inspections.

New-Entrant Program - All first-time carrier applicants for a USDOT Number will be automatically enrolled in the FMCSA New Entrant Safety Assurance Program. This program requires new entrants to pass a safety audit and maintain acceptable roadside safety performance over an initial 18-month period before they are given permanent registration status. In most cases, companies operating exclusively as brokers or non-vehicle-operating shippers or freight forwarders do not need to obtain a USDOT Number.

Additionally carriers are required to maintain tax accounts in certain states, compliance within the International Registration Program (IRP), and the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA), as well as various permits that regulate the transportation of certain commodities.

Carriers operating in both the United States and Canada are stringently regulated by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and require carrier codes and registration with both CBP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for all cross border activities.

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