New MC, first loads
Dispatch services for new trucking companies that know which brokers will say yes
The hardest loads to find are the first ones. Plenty of brokers won't touch an authority that's a few weeks old, and the ones that will expect clean paperwork. We know the difference, we set up your packets, and every offer comes to you to confirm. 7% of gross until your authority turns 6 months old, then the standard rate. No contract.
- MC under 6 months
- 7%
- After 6 months
- 5%
- Setup fee
- $0
New MC dispatch, the straight answers
Most new owners ask the same ten questions in the first call. Here they are, answered before you have to ask.
Do I need an MC number if I only haul inside my state?
Usually not. Federal operating authority is for for-hire carriers hauling regulated freight in interstate commerce. Intrastate carriers may still need a USDOT number and state authority, depending on the state. One catch: freight that's part of a longer interstate move can count as interstate even on an in-state leg. Check with FMCSA and your state.
Do I need my own drug testing program?
Only if a driver needs a CDL for the truck. Then 49 CFR Part 382 requires random testing, a pre-employment test and Clearinghouse queries, interstate or intrastate. An owner-operator with a CDL is both employer and driver, so you join a consortium for the random pool. A non-CDL 26 ft box truck or hotshot isn't covered.
Should a new carrier use factoring?
Many do, because the first months are when slow broker pay hurts most. Factoring costs a percentage of each invoice, so compare it with what waiting 30 days costs you in fuel and missed loads. Read the contract for minimums, reserves and termination terms before you sign.
Can I use dispatch before my authority is active?
You can apply and do the setup call before it's active. We can't book loads until FMCSA shows your authority as active and your insurance is on file, because brokers check both before they tender a load.
What is the first load like for a new authority?
Expect extra paperwork and extra calls. Brokers may ask for references, a copy of your authority letter or a voice call before tendering. Rates can be a bit lower for the first few weeks. We pick first loads with brokers who pay on time, and you confirm every one.
What documents do I need before dispatch starts?
Your MC and USDOT numbers, a certificate of insurance, a signed W-9, your truck and trailer details, and a notice of assignment if you factor. If your truck needs a CDL, have your drug and alcohol program in place too.
Can a dispatcher get loads for a brand new MC?
Yes, but with fewer brokers to choose from at first. Some set up new authorities right away; others wait 30 to 90 days or longer. A dispatcher who knows which is which saves you a lot of rejected setups.
What makes the best dispatcher for new authority?
Someone who knows which brokers set up young MCs, picks safe first loads over flashy rates, keeps your paperwork straight for the safety audit, and never books without your yes. Ask any dispatcher how they handle a 3-week-old MC. A vague answer tells you a lot.
How much is new MC dispatch?
7% of gross on loads you haul while your authority is under 6 months old. After that it drops to the standard rate for your truck, 5% for most equipment, or 4% once you run two trucks or more. No setup fee, no minimums.
When does the new entrant safety audit happen?
FMCSA audits property carriers within the first 12 months of operation. It covers driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing, hours of service, maintenance records, insurance and accident records. Failing it can lead to revocation of your new entrant registration, so keep records clean from day one.
Want it as a list you can work through? Use our new authority checklist, or start further back with how to start a trucking company.
Which paperwork path are you on?
The paperwork depends on one question: will your truck ever haul for hire across a state line, or carry freight that's part of an interstate move? Pick your path. Every stop links to the agency that runs it, because rules change and the agency page is the only version that counts.
- 01
USDOT number
Required for commercial vehicles at 10,001 lb or more running interstate, and for placarded hazmat. You apply through FMCSA's Unified Registration System.
FMCSA: Do I need a USDOT number? · checked 2026-10 - 02
Operating authority (MC number)
For-hire carriers hauling regulated freight across state lines need operating authority. FMCSA has announced plans to move to USDOT-only identification, but MC numbers were still being issued as of late 2026, and brokers still ask for them. Check FMCSA before you apply.
FMCSA: Do I need operating authority? · checked 2026-10 - 03
BOC-3 process agent filing
You designate a process agent in every state where you operate. Most carriers use a blanket filing company. Your authority won't activate without it.
FMCSA: process agents (BOC-3) · checked 2026-10 - 04
Insurance filed with FMCSA
Your insurer files proof of coverage with FMCSA. The federal minimum for general freight is $750,000 (49 CFR 387.9). Many brokers want $1,000,000 liability and a cargo policy before they'll set you up.
49 CFR 387.9 minimum limits · checked 2026-10 - 05
Unified Carrier Registration
An annual registration and fee for interstate carriers, based on fleet size. Renew it every year before it lapses, because brokers and roadside inspectors check it.
UCR.gov · checked 2026-10 - 06
IRP plates and IFTA decals, if your truck qualifies
Needed for interstate trucks over 26,000 lb, or with three or more axles. Non-CDL hotshots and 26 ft box trucks usually fall under the line, so check your weights before you buy plates you don't need.
IFTA, Inc. · checked 2026-10 - 07
Drug and alcohol program, if a driver needs a CDL
CDL drivers must be in a random testing program under 49 CFR Part 382, with a pre-employment test and a Clearinghouse query before the first load. An owner-operator with a CDL is both employer and driver, so you join a consortium. Non-CDL trucks are not under these rules.
How DOT drug testing consortiums workTesting pool options below - 08
New entrant safety audit
FMCSA audits property carriers within the first 12 months: driver files, drug and alcohol testing, hours of service, maintenance, insurance and accident records. Keep them organized from day one.
Our new entrant audit guide First load booked
Paperwork done. Now the offers start, and you confirm each one.
- 01
A state or USDOT number
Many states require a USDOT number even for trucks that never leave the state. FMCSA keeps the list of states that do.
FMCSA: states requiring a USDOT number · checked 2026-10 - 02
State for-hire authority or permit
Some states issue their own for-hire authority, permit or registration for intrastate carriers. The name and the weight thresholds vary, so go to your state DMV or DOT site directly.
- 03
Insurance at your state's minimum
States set their own intrastate liability minimums, often lower than the federal one. Shippers and brokers can still ask for more, so price both.
- 04
Drug and alcohol program, if a driver needs a CDL
Part 382 applies to CDL drivers in intrastate commerce too. If your truck needs a CDL, you need a random testing program, a pre-employment test and a Clearinghouse query. Non-CDL trucks are not covered.
How DOT drug testing consortiums workTesting pool options below - 05
Plates and registration
Standard state commercial registration for the truck. No IRP or IFTA as long as it stays in-state.
First load booked
Paperwork done. Now the offers start, and you confirm each one.
The first 90 days with a new authority
No promises about loads or income here, because nobody honest can make them for a new MC. This is what our desk actually does in the first three months.
- Weeks 1-201
Packets and the right brokers
We send your packets to brokers that set up new authorities and skip the ones with an age minimum you don't meet yet. You start with the brokers most likely to say yes.
- Weeks 2-602
First loads, careful ones
Early loads build your record. We favor brokers who pay on time and shippers who load on time over a slightly higher rate from a broker nobody can vouch for.
- Weeks 6-1203
More doors open
As your MC ages past 30, 60 and 90 days, more brokers will set you up. We widen the search, push rates harder and start building repeat lanes.
- Months 3-604
Toward the standard rate
Repeat brokers, steadier lanes and a safety record that speaks for itself. When your authority turns 6 months old, your fee drops from 7% to the standard rate on its own. You don't have to ask.
"Brokers won't use a new MC."
Some won't, and they'll tell you their minimum: 30, 60, 90 days, sometimes a year. Plenty will, especially with a clean safety record, correct insurance and complete paperwork. Expect fewer choices and some lower rates for the first few weeks. That's normal, and it gets better as the authority ages.
The full fee breakdown by truck and authority age is on the fee schedule.
Factoring for new carriers
New authorities feel slow pay worst. Fuel, insurance and the truck payment don't wait 30 days for a broker. Factoring advances most of each invoice soon after delivery for a fee. We refer carriers to RTS Financial; read the terms before you sign anything.
We refer carriers to RTS Financial and may be paid for referrals. It doesn't change your rate. Disclosure
Your MC is active. Let's get the first loads booked.
Month-to-month. Cancel with 30 days notice.