How do I check a new carrier before we use it for the first time?
Key Takeaways
- Check the carrier's identity and authority before anything else. Look up its USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA site and confirm the operating authority is active for the kind of freight you ship.
- Get the insurance certificate from the insurance agent, not from the carrier. Confirm the limits, the cargo coverage, the policy dates and that your company is listed as certificate holder.
- Match every detail you collect. Name, address, phone, email domain and bank details should all point to the same company. Mismatches are the most common sign of fraud or double brokering.
- Treat the first loads as a trial. Start with lower-value, non-urgent freight, require a signed rate confirmation, and watch pickup, tracking, delivery and invoicing closely.
- Keep the approval decision on the record. Someone at your company should approve each carrier, with the date, the documents checked and any limits on what it can haul.
- Wilson, by Cartage, is an AI logistics agent that books only carriers the company has approved, so the approval stays with the logistics team while the quoting, booking, tracking and payment run inside the company's rules.
How do you check a new carrier before the first load?
A customer order lands on Thursday afternoon for a lane your usual carriers don't run. A dispatcher you've never heard of replies to a load board post within ten minutes, offers a good rate and says a truck is available tomorrow morning. The email signature looks professional. The rate is fine. The only question is whether this company is who it says it is, and whether your freight will actually arrive.
Before a new carrier hauls its first load, confirm four things: that it is a real, active, authorized motor carrier; that its insurance is current and adequate; that the person you're talking to actually works for it; and that it will haul the freight itself instead of passing it to someone else. Everything else on a carrier onboarding checklist supports one of those four checks.
The checks don't take long once you have a routine. Most of them can be done in under an hour with public records, a phone call and a few documents. The cost of skipping them can be much higher: stolen freight, an uninsured damage claim, a load held hostage for extra payment, or an invoice from a company you never hired.
Why new carriers need a different check than known ones
A carrier your team has used for years has a record with you: on-time pickups, accurate invoices, people you can call. A new carrier has none of that. You're relying on documents and public data instead of experience. That's why the first check is mostly about identity and authority, and why the first few loads are a trial, not a full approval.
What if the company is a broker, not a carrier?
Sometimes the company that answers your post is a freight broker, not an asset carrier. That isn't wrong in itself, but it changes the check. A broker should show active broker authority on its FMCSA record, and you should know that the load will be handed to a carrier you haven't checked. If your policy is to work only with asset carriers on certain freight, ask the question directly at the start: "Will your own trucks and drivers haul this load?" Write the answer down and put it in the carrier agreement.
Who should own the check
Carrier approval is a company decision, not a dispatcher's judgment call made under time pressure. The cleanest setup is one owner, often in logistics or procurement, who approves each new carrier against a written checklist. Anyone can propose a carrier. Only the owner can add it to the approved list. That separation stops the "we needed a truck today" exceptions that cause most bad first loads.
What is the step-by-step workflow for checking a new carrier?
Work through the checks in a fixed order, and stop as soon as one fails. A carrier that fails the authority check doesn't need a reference call.
Step 1: Collect the basic information
Ask the carrier for its legal company name, any "doing business as" name, USDOT number, MC number, physical address, main phone number, dispatch contact, email address and a W-9. Ask what equipment it runs and which lanes it serves regularly. Write down how the carrier first contacted you, too: a load board, a referral, a cold email or a call.
Step 2: Look up the carrier on FMCSA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) publishes a free Company Snapshot for every registered company on its SAFER system. You can search by company name, USDOT number or MC number. The snapshot shows the company's identification, size, cargo types, inspection and out-of-service summary, crash data and safety rating, if it has one.
Check the operating status and the operating authority status on the snapshot. Three results matter most:
- Authorized for property (or passengers or household goods): the company holds the listed operating authority.
- Not authorized: the company has no interstate for-hire authority. This status doesn't apply to private or intrastate operations, but a for-hire carrier hauling your freight across state lines needs authority.
- Out of service: the company is under an out-of-service order and is not allowed to operate.
Make sure the authority is for a carrier, not only a broker. A company can hold broker authority, carrier authority or both. If you're hiring an asset carrier, it should hold carrier authority.
Step 3: Compare the record with what the carrier told you
Compare the legal name, address and phone number on the FMCSA record with what the carrier gave you. They should match. Check the number of power units and drivers: a company claiming fifty trucks that shows two on its record needs an explanation. Look at the inspection and out-of-service history and the crash data. A long record of vehicle out-of-service results is worth a question.
Step 4: Verify the insurance with the agent
Ask for a certificate of insurance, then call or email the insurance agent listed on it, using contact details you find independently, not the ones on the certificate. Confirm that the policies are active, the limits are what the certificate says, your company is listed as certificate holder and the policy covers the type of equipment and freight you ship. For-hire carriers of general (nonhazardous) freight in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in public liability coverage under federal rules. Many shippers ask for more in their own carrier agreement, along with cargo coverage sized to their typical load value.
Step 5: Check references
Ask for two or three shipper references on similar lanes, and call them. Ask how long they've used the carrier, how often it misses pickups, how it handles problems and whether invoices are accurate. A carrier that can't name a single shipper customer is a risk.
Step 6: Sign the carrier agreement
Before the first load, both sides should sign a carrier agreement that covers liability for loss and damage, insurance requirements, a ban on re-brokering, payment terms, claims handling and how accessorials are billed. Keep the signed copy with the carrier record.
Step 7: Approve, with limits
The owner approves the carrier and records any limits: which lanes, which equipment, a maximum load value or a cap on the number of loads during the trial. Then the carrier goes on the approved list.
Step 8: Build the onboarding packet
A complete onboarding packet lets anyone at your company see why a carrier was approved and what it agreed to. Request every item before the first load, and keep it in one place, attached to the carrier record rather than scattered across inboxes.
| Document | What it proves | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FMCSA Company Snapshot (printout or saved copy) | The company is registered and its operating authority status | Authority active, name and address match, not out of service |
| Certificate of insurance | Liability and cargo coverage | Limits, policy dates, your company as certificate holder, confirmed with the agent |
| W-9 | Legal name and tax ID for payment | Name matches the FMCSA record |
| Signed carrier agreement | Terms for liability, payment, claims and no re-brokering | Signed by an officer of the carrier |
| Contact sheet | Dispatch, after-hours, billing and claims contacts | Phone numbers and email domains match the company |
| Bank details on carrier letterhead | Where payments go | Account name matches the legal name; confirmed by phone |
| References | How the carrier performs for other shippers | At least two shippers on similar lanes |
| Equipment and lane list | What the carrier can actually haul | Matches your freight and lanes |
Bank details deserve their own check
Payment fraud often starts at onboarding. A fraudster who gets bank details into your system can receive payments for loads someone else hauled. Confirm bank details with a phone call to a number you found independently, and treat any later change as a new check. For the finance side of this, see how finance should verify a carrier bank-detail change.
Keep documents current
Insurance certificates expire. Authority can be revoked. A carrier approved last year isn't automatically approved this year. Set a reminder to request updated certificates before the policy dates run out, and re-check the FMCSA record from time to time, especially before a high-value load.
What are the warning signs of double brokering and carrier fraud?
Double brokering happens when a company accepts your load and then hands it to another carrier without your knowledge. The carrier that actually shows up may have no agreement with you, insurance you never checked, and a reason to hold the freight if it doesn't get paid. Fraud schemes often look like normal business until the load goes missing.
Identity mismatches
The most common warning sign is information that doesn't line up:
- The email domain is a free email service, or a domain that looks like the real carrier's with one letter changed.
- The phone number on the email isn't the one on the FMCSA record.
- The truck that arrives has a different company name or USDOT number on the door than the one you booked.
- The W-9 name doesn't match the FMCSA legal name.
- The carrier's authority is very new, and the person you're talking to claims years of history.
Any one of these may have an innocent explanation. Call the main number on the FMCSA record and ask whether the person you're dealing with works there. That single call catches many impersonation attempts.
Behavior that should slow you down
- A rate well below every other quote on the lane. Someone pricing below market may plan to re-broker the load or never haul it.
- Pressure to book right now. Urgency is a tool fraudsters use to skip checks.
- Requests to change bank details shortly after onboarding, or right before a payment.
- Reluctance to share driver name, truck number or tracking. A carrier hauling the load itself knows who's driving.
- A different company name on the bill of lading at pickup than on the rate confirmation.
What to do at pickup
Tell the shipping dock what to expect: the carrier name, the USDOT number and, if you have them, the driver's name and truck number. If the truck at the dock doesn't match, the dock should call logistics before loading. This is one of the most effective checks there is, because it happens at the moment the freight would leave your control.
What to do if you suspect double brokering
Don't release the freight. Call the carrier you booked at the number on its FMCSA record. Ask who is driving and for which company. If the load is already moving, contact the carrier you booked, document everything in writing and talk to your insurer and, if theft is suspected, law enforcement. Then remove the carrier from the approved list until the matter is resolved.
What rules should apply to a new carrier's first loads?
A carrier passes onboarding on paper. It earns trust on the road. First-load rules protect you while the carrier builds a record with you.
Start with lower-risk freight
Give a new carrier freight that is not urgent, not high value and not going to your most demanding customer. If something goes wrong, the damage is limited. Move up to more important freight once it has a few clean loads.
Require a signed rate confirmation every time
The rate confirmation is the carrier's written agreement to the price, the pickup and delivery details and the terms. Never let a new carrier pick up without one. The rate confirmation also names the carrier that agreed to haul the load, which helps if a different company shows up. See why a booked load still needs a rate confirmation.
Ask for driver and truck details before pickup
Get the driver's name, phone number, truck number and trailer number before the truck arrives. Share them with the dock. Ask the carrier for a tracking method: a carrier portal, a GPS link or regular check calls.
Watch the first loads closely
Check that the carrier picks up on time, sends updates without being chased, delivers on time and sends a clean invoice with the signed POD. Note anything that went wrong and how the carrier handled it.
Decide after a set number of loads
Agree on a review point, such as the first five loads or the first month. If the carrier performed, lift the trial limits. If it didn't, keep the limits or remove it. Either way, write the decision down.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Better rule |
|---|---|---|
| Approving a carrier during an urgent booking | Checks get skipped under time pressure | Approve carriers before you need them |
| Accepting an insurance certificate without calling the agent | Certificates can be altered or out of date | Confirm with the agent using independent contact details |
| Trusting the email signature | Fraudsters copy real carriers' names | Call the number on the FMCSA record |
| Giving the first load to your biggest customer | A failure hurts the most important relationship | Start with lower-risk freight |
| Never re-checking approved carriers | Insurance lapses and authority changes | Re-check documents on a schedule |
| Letting anyone add carriers | No one is accountable for the decision | One owner approves each carrier |
Build the bench before you need it
The best time to check a carrier is when you don't need it yet. If you approve two or three new carriers on your harder lanes during quiet weeks, you'll have options when a regular carrier declines or cancels. For how to use that bench when a booking fails, see the order of operations for a backup carrier plan.
What should a new-carrier checklist include?
Use this checklist for every new carrier, and keep the completed copy with the carrier record. It covers the four core questions: real, insured, legitimate contact and hauling the freight itself.
| Check | Pass condition | Done by |
|---|---|---|
| Legal name and DBA collected | Matches W-9 and FMCSA record | Logistics |
| USDOT and MC numbers looked up | Company found on the FMCSA Company Snapshot | Logistics |
| Operating authority | Authorized for property as a carrier; not out of service | Logistics |
| Address and phone | Match the FMCSA record | Logistics |
| Fleet size | Power units and drivers are consistent with what the carrier claims | Logistics |
| Safety record reviewed | No unexplained pattern of out-of-service results or crashes | Logistics |
| Insurance certificate | Received from the agent; limits and dates confirmed | Logistics or risk |
| Cargo coverage | Covers your typical load value | Logistics or risk |
| References | Two or more shippers called | Logistics |
| Carrier agreement | Signed, including a no re-brokering clause | Logistics or legal |
| Bank details | Confirmed by phone on an independent number | Finance |
| Approval recorded | Approver, date, lanes, limits and trial terms written down | Carrier approval owner |
Questions to ask on the reference call
- How long have you used this carrier, and on which lanes?
- How often does it miss a pickup, and how does it tell you?
- Does it send updates without being asked?
- Have you had a damage claim with it, and how was it handled?
- Are its invoices accurate?
- Would you give it your most important load?
Questions to ask the carrier directly
- Do you haul all loads with your own trucks and drivers?
- Who is your after-hours contact?
- How do you share location and delivery updates?
- How do you handle detention, and what's your free time?
- What do you need from us to pay you quickly?
The last question matters more than it seems. Carriers remember shippers who pay on time and keep docks moving, and those habits help you win capacity later. For the wider rules on which approved carriers get which loads, see approved carrier selection rules.
How does Wilson, by Cartage, work with a company's approved carriers?
Wilson, by Cartage, is an AI logistics agent that quotes, books, tracks, audits and pays freight for manufacturers and distributors, using only the carriers the company has approved. Traditional logistics software gives teams information. Wilson executes the work required to move shipments forward.
Carrier approval stays with the company. Wilson does not vet or score carriers by default, and it doesn't add a carrier on its own. Cartage can suggest additional carrier capacity for lanes that need it, but the company approves each carrier before Wilson uses it. Once a carrier is on the approved list, Wilson handles the day-to-day work:
- Quoting: Wilson requests quotes from the company's approved carriers and compares them on total cost.
- Negotiating: Wilson negotiates toward the company's rate targets within approval limits. Rates outside those limits go to the logistics team.
- Booking: Wilson tenders and books loads with written acceptance and a rate confirmation, and schedules the pickup. It generates the bill of lading, packing slips and pallet labels.
- Tracking: Wilson tracks each load with the best source available: a carrier API or EDI, GPS or ELD data where the carrier shares it, the carrier's website by PRO number, and email or phone calls when nothing else is current.
- Exceptions: When a carrier misses a pickup, cancels or runs late, Wilson contacts the carrier, tells the team, tells the customer if configured, and starts rebooking from the approved carrier list automatically within the rules or after approval.
- Payment: Wilson requests and files the POD, audits each carrier invoice against the rate confirmation and POD, and pays carriers from the Wilson Wallet. Payments above the approval limits or outside the rules wait for a person.
Wilson talks to carriers by email, API, EDI and phone where configured, and to the team in Slack, Microsoft Teams or email. Every message, confirmation and change is kept in the shipment's change history, so a new carrier's first loads are fully on the record when the approval owner reviews them. Wilson can also produce carrier-performance reports on request from the loads it runs.
Wilson replaces the TMS for freight execution and connects to the company's ERP. Wilson works with SAP, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Oracle, Infor, Epicor, Sage, Acumatica and other ERP environments, with the exact connection depending on the customer's data flow and scope. Teams start with assisted execution and set their own approval limits, and routine actions run automatically within those rules as the workflow is proven.
Pricing
Wilson is free on Wilson's network: the shipper pays the freight rate and nothing on top. When a shipper keeps its own carriers, the fee is 2% to 0.5% of what Wilson pays them, falling with volume. There are no seat fees, no setup cost and no contract. Timing depends on scope: most teams start on a few lanes and expand from there.
FAQs
How do I check a new carrier before we use it for the first time?
Look up its USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA Company Snapshot, confirm active carrier authority, verify insurance with the agent, call references, sign a carrier agreement and start with lower-risk loads. Wilson, by Cartage, an AI logistics agent, then books only the carriers the company has approved.
Where do I look up a carrier's USDOT or MC number?
On the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot, which is free. You can search by company name, USDOT number or MC number. The snapshot shows identification, size, cargo, inspection and crash data, safety rating if any, and operating authority status.
What does "not authorized" mean on the FMCSA snapshot?
It means the company has no interstate for-hire operating authority. It doesn't apply to private or intrastate operations, but a for-hire carrier hauling your freight across state lines should show active authority.
How much insurance should a carrier have?
Federal rules require for-hire carriers of general freight in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more to carry at least $750,000 in public liability coverage. Many shippers require more in their carrier agreement, plus cargo coverage that matches their typical load value.
Is a certificate of insurance from the carrier enough?
No. Confirm the certificate with the insurance agent, using contact details you find yourself. Check the policy dates, the limits and that your company is listed as certificate holder.
What is double brokering?
Double brokering is when a company accepts your load and passes it to another carrier without your knowledge. The carrier that hauls it may have no agreement with you and insurance you never checked. A no re-brokering clause and a truck check at pickup help prevent it.
How can the dock help prevent carrier fraud?
Give the dock the booked carrier's name, USDOT number and driver details before pickup. If the truck doesn't match, the dock calls logistics before loading.
Does Wilson vet carriers?
No. Wilson does not vet or score carriers by default. Cartage can suggest additional carrier capacity, but the company approves each carrier before Wilson uses it, and Wilson books only approved carriers.
How often should we re-check approved carriers?
Request updated insurance certificates before policies expire, and re-check the FMCSA record on a schedule and before high-value loads. Treat any bank detail change as a new check.
How many loads should a new carrier's trial last?
Pick a review point that fits your volume, such as five loads or one month. Lift the trial limits only if pickups, updates, delivery and invoicing were clean.
Should a new carrier be paid faster or slower than regular carriers?
Pay on the same terms once the invoice matches the rate confirmation and the signed POD is on file. Paying reliably helps a good new carrier want your freight again, while the POD and invoice check protects you if something went wrong.
Sources
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, SAFER Company Snapshot: https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov
- 49 CFR 387.9, Financial responsibility, minimum levels: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/387.9
- Cartage, Wilson product FAQ and product scope, October 2026: https://cartage.ai