Top 4 tips every trucking agent needs

If you’re new to the trucking business, it can seem overwhelming, and even if you’re an experienced trucking agent, you need to be sure you have a firm grasp of the fundamentals. Here are four essential things to know whether you’re prospecting your first trucking account or have many years of experience. 

1. Operating authority: Operating authority dictates the type of operation a motor carrier may run and the cargo it may carry. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website is a great place to learn more about federal authority. Check out your state’s transportation department for information about state authority.
2. MC vs. DOT: A U.S. DOT (Department of Transportation) number identifies carriers operating in interstate commerce, and an MC number identifies a carrier that transports regulated commodities for hire in interstate commerce. Typically, goods modified from their natural state are regulated commodities requiring an MC number. Please note that many states require their intrastate carriers to obtain a U.S. DOT number as well. This list can be found here: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/do-i-need-usdot-number#states.
3. Insurance filings: A filing is a document submitted to a governmental authority by an insurance carrier showing that a trucker meets insurance requirements. Filings can be at the federal level (for interstate truckers) or the state level (for intrastate).
4. SMS and BASICS: The FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) uses crash and roadside inspection data to determine a motor carrier’s safety performance compared to other truckers. It groups data into Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs). Good scores correlate with well-functioning fleet management programs and fleet risk control techniques.

We’re here to help you!

This list is just the start—it could go on to include different truck and trailer types, deadhead and bobtail arrangements, and more. Check out Driven to Protect, a free Acuity U continuing education course on trucking. We also offer our free Motor Carrier Toolbox and several trucking brochures, including the best reasons to write trucking with Acuity. I am always here to help you and our mutual trucking customers!