DOCK 01NEW AUTHORITY
Dispatch services for new trucking companies with a brand-new MC
Your authority is active. Now the hard part: getting brokers to load a carrier with no history. We set up your packets, find the brokers that work with new MCs and build your first months of loads. 7% of gross until your MC turns 6 months old.
CARRIER PROFILE
DOCK 02WHY NEW MCs GET STUCK
Why new MCs get stuck, and what dispatch services for new trucking companies fix
- 1
Brokers check authority age
Some brokers set a minimum age for a carrier's authority before they will tender a load. The minimum differs from broker to broker, and a brand-new MC fails most of them.
- 2
Insurance gets checked before anything else
Brokers verify your certificate of insurance and often ask to be listed as certificate holder before the first load. Missing or slow paperwork stalls the setup.
- 3
No history to vouch for you
No loads delivered means no references, no track record with the broker and nothing to point to. The first few loads matter more than their rate.
- 4
New MCs attract bad offers
New authority numbers are public. New carriers hear from people selling guaranteed loads, charging upfront fees or offering freight that is too good to be real.
The best dispatcher for new authority works on all four at once: finds the brokers who load new MCs, gets your insurance and packets approved fast, picks first loads that build history, and never asks you for money up front.
DOCK 03FIRST MONTHS
Your first months, stop by stop
Every new MC moves through the same stages. How fast depends on your paperwork and on each broker's rules, so we show the order, not promises about dates.
01 · DAY 1Apply and send your documentsTAP TO OPEN
We go over your truck and lanes, then send carrier packets to brokers that work with new authorities.
02 · AS APPROVALS ARRIVEFirst loadsTAP TO OPEN
The first loads come from brokers who accept new MCs. We weigh the rate against what the load does for your history, and you approve each one.
03 · EARLY MONTHSMore brokers open upTAP TO OPEN
As your authority ages and delivered loads build up, more brokers' minimums are met. We add setups as they do.
04 · ANY TIME IN MONTHS 3-18New entrant safety auditTAP TO OPEN
FMCSA monitors new carriers for 18 months and runs a safety audit once you have enough records, generally after at least 3 months of operating. Clean logs and files make it routine.
05 · MONTH 6Your rate dropsTAP TO OPEN
Your fee moves from 7% to the rate your truck count and equipment qualify for: 5% for one semi, 7% for one box truck or hotshot, 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Automatically.
SOURCE:eCFR, 49 CFR 385.307, OCT 2026
DOCK 04BROKER VETTING
How brokers vet a new trucking company
Before a broker tenders the first load, someone on their carrier team runs through a list like this. Knowing it is half of getting approved.
- 01
Authority status
Is the MC active, and is it the right type of authority for the freight?
- 02
Insurance on file
Is liability coverage filed with FMCSA, and does your certificate show the cargo coverage the load needs?
- 03
Authority age
Does the MC meet the broker's own minimum, if it has one?
- 04
Contact and identity checks
Do the phone, email and address match FMCSA records, so the broker knows the carrier is who it says?
- 05
Safety record
Roadside inspections and any audit results so far. A new carrier has little history, which is why the first months count.
- 06
Paperwork
A complete carrier packet: W-9, certificate of insurance, and a Notice of Assignment if you factor.
First-year mistakes that cost new authorities
Letting insurance lapse
For-hire authority only stays in force while your insurance is filed with and accepted by FMCSA. A missed payment can stop you from hauling.
Missing the MCS-150 update
Your USDOT registration must be updated every 24 months, and skipping it carries penalties. Put the date on a calendar now.
Forgetting UCR
Unified Carrier Registration is due every year for interstate carriers, priced by fleet size.
Taking any load to get started
Cheap loads with long deadhead can sink the first months. Early loads should build history without burning cash.
Paying for loads up front
Freight pays the carrier, not the other way around. Anyone asking you to pay before you get a load is a red flag.
CDL trucks without a testing program
If your truck needs a CDL, you must be in a random drug and alcohol testing pool before the first load.
SOURCE:eCFR, 49 CFR 387.301, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 390.201, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR Part 367, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 382.103, OCT 2026
DOCK 05WHAT WE NEED
What we need from you before dispatch starts
What getting authority costsHow to start a box truck business
Active MC and USDOT numbers
Your operating authority must show active before brokers will load you.
BOC-3 on file
Your designation of process agents, filed when you registered.
UCR registration
Unified Carrier Registration for interstate carriers, paid each year by fleet size.
Certificate of insurance
Auto liability (at least $750,000 for for-hire general freight in trucks of 10,001 lb and up) and cargo coverage.
W-9
In the business name on your authority.
ELD, if your operation requires one
Carriers whose drivers must keep logs generally have to use an ELD. There are exceptions, such as drivers who keep logs on no more than 8 days in any 30.
Notice of Assignment
Only if you factor, so brokers pay the factoring company.
DOT drug and alcohol consortium (CDL trucks only)
If your truck needs a CDL, you must be in a random testing pool before your first load, and a consortium is how one-truck carriers do it. Not required for a non-CDL box truck run at or under 26,000 lb without placarded hazmat.
SOURCE:eCFR, 49 CFR 366.2, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR Part 367, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 387.9, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 395.8, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 382.103, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 383.5, OCT 2026
DOCK 06PRICE
Dispatch for a new MC: 7%, then your standard rate
Every truck pays 7% of gross while the MC is under 6 months old. It covers the extra calls, the packets and the broker hunting a new authority takes. At month 6 it changes automatically; you do not have to ask.
MONTHS 1-6, ONE DRY VAN
FROM MONTH 7, SAME TRUCK
DOCK 07FACTORING FOR NEW MCs
Factoring for a new MC
Brokers pay on their own terms, and a new carrier rarely has cash to wait. Factoring turns delivered loads into cash sooner. We refer carriers to a factoring partner and may be paid for referrals.
DOCK 08FAQ
New MC dispatch questions
Q-01Can a dispatcher get loads for a brand new MC?
Yes, from brokers that accept new authorities. Some brokers set a minimum authority age, so a new MC starts with fewer options. A dispatcher's job early on is to find the brokers who will load you, get your packets approved and keep you moving while your history builds.
Q-02How long until brokers work with my new authority?
It depends on each broker. Some accept new MCs once your insurance and packet check out; others want your authority to reach a minimum age first. We cannot promise a date. Having your documents ready on day one is what speeds it up.
Q-03How much is dispatch for a new trucking company?
7% of gross load revenue while your MC is under 6 months old, on loads you haul. No setup fee and no minimum. At month 6 it moves automatically to your standard rate: 5% for one semi, 7% for one box truck or hotshot, 4% for 2 or more trucks.
Q-04What documents do I need before dispatch starts?
Active MC and USDOT numbers, your BOC-3, UCR registration, a certificate of insurance with auto liability and cargo, a W-9, an ELD if your operation needs one, and your Notice of Assignment if you factor. CDL carriers also need their drug and alcohol testing program.
Q-05Do I need factoring as a new carrier?
You do not have to. It helps when brokers pay on their own terms and fuel does not wait. If you have the cash to cover a few weeks of running, you may not need it. Our factoring pages explain the costs so you can decide.
Q-06Can you help with a box truck under a new MC?
Yes, if it is 26 ft or larger. A box truck under a new MC pays 7%, the same rate it pays after month 6. We look for brokers that load new carriers with straight trucks, and set up your packets with your liftgate and dimensions on file.
Q-07When does the 7% rate change?
When your authority turns 6 months old, automatically. One semi moves to 5%. One box truck or hotshot stays at 7%. Two or more trucks move to 4% (limited-time rate). You do not need to ask or sign anything new.
Your MC is new. Your first loads don't have to wait on you.
Send your application. We start with your packets and the brokers that load new authorities.