How to get loads with a new MC number
Your authority is active and the truck is insured, but the first broker you call says no. Here is why new authority gets turned down, and how to book your first loads anyway.
Written by Gabriel Gonzalez
New authority in numbers
To get loads with a new MC number, wait until FMCSA shows your authority as issued, make your record and insurance match, and start with brokers, load boards, and shippers that accept new authority while you build a clean record. Some customers set minimum authority ages, such as Amazon Relay's 180 days.
These questions came from new carriers in our How to Start a Trucking Company webinar. Most of them were about money: who will give a new carrier its first load, how long the cash lasts until that load pays, and which early decisions are hard to undo.
I have spent more than 22 years at Simplex, nearly 16 of them as COO, and I now lead revenue strategy. Here is how I answer them, with the rules checked against the source.
The full briefing, read aloud
8 chapters. Select one to jump to it.
Generated with AI text-to-speech from this article's key insights, in order, rather than reading it word for word. Chapter times come from a transcript of the audio. The article itself was written and reviewed by Gabriel Gonzalez.
Key takeaways
Active means issued, not applied for
You can haul regulated interstate freight for pay only once FMCSA issues your authority, and its record, not a paper certificate, is the proof.
Brokers set their own age limits
No federal rule sets a minimum authority age after it is issued. Brokers and shippers set their own, and Amazon Relay typically wants 180 days.
Your record starts on day one
FMCSA closely watches a new entrant's roadside performance for 18 months, and brokers can see your inspections too.
Check who pays you
Every property broker must keep a $75,000 bond or trust fund, and you have the right to review the broker's record of your load.
One company, one USDOT number
Each legal entity gets its own number, and a number can't be sold, transferred, rented, or leased.
In this articleContents
When can a new MC number take its first load?
As soon as FMCSA has issued your authority, and not before. An unopposed application becomes effective only when FMCSA issues the certificate, so an application on file doesn't let you haul regulated freight for pay across state lines.
Check the record, not the paper. FMCSA says a hard copy of a certificate doesn't represent active authority; its system does. Look yourself up in Motus public search, and use our MC authority guide to read each pending status.
Then keep it active. FMCSA requires your insurance and BOC-3 filings to stay on file after the grant, or it starts revocation proceedings. A carrier whose filings lapse in month two is starting over, not building a record.
Why do brokers turn down a new MC number?
Because a new MC number has no history, and the broker takes on risk by choosing you. No federal rule sets a minimum age for authority once it is issued; brokers set their own. DAT reported in August 2026 that authority age matters more than it used to, and that requirements vary by brokerage.
Three things push brokers toward caution:
- No record yet. FMCSA's free Company Snapshot shows a carrier's safety rating, roadside out-of-service summary, and crashes. A new carrier's page has little to weigh.
- Liability for the choice. On May 14, 2026, the Supreme Court held in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II that federal law doesn't preempt a state negligent-hiring claim against a broker. Our broker liability guide explains what that means for carriers.
- Fraud. FMCSA now verifies the identity of new registrants in Motus and randomizes new USDOT and docket numbers, both to fight fraud. Expect brokers to verify you just as closely.
| Who | Minimum before you haul | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| FMCSA | None, once your authority is issued | 49 CFR 365.115 |
| Amazon Relay | A DOT number active at least 180 days, with interstate authority and a valid MC number | Relay's onboarding requirements |
| Freight brokers | Varies by brokerage | Each broker's carrier setup terms |
Your record starts on day one. For 18 months, FMCSA closely monitors a new entrant's roadside performance and runs a safety audit, generally once you have at least three months of records. Clean early inspections are the history brokers are waiting for.
What should you have ready before you call a broker?
A record that matches everywhere, and the documents a broker's carrier setup asks for, ready to send the same day. A different name or address on your FMCSA record, insurance certificate, and tax form is an easy reason for a broker to call the next carrier.
- Your USDOT and MC numbers, with the legal name and address FMCSA shows.
- A certificate of insurance showing your auto liability, at least $750,000 for general freight in trucks of 10,001 pounds or more, and any cargo coverage you carry.
- A W-9 and your payment details, or your factoring company's notice of assignment if you factor.
Cargo coverage is a contract question for general freight: FMCSA requires it only for household goods. Brokers can still require it in their agreements, so ask each one what limit it wants before you buy. Our guide to cargo insurance cost explains what drives the price.
Where do new carriers find their first loads?
From the sources that take new authority: brokers whose setup terms allow it, load boards, dispatch or freight planning services, and shippers near your home base. Our guide to building a carrier that lasts compares those channels and what to check in each.
Price every load against your own cost per mile before you accept it. A first load booked below cost isn't a foot in the door; it's a habit. Our freight rate negotiation guide shows how to set a walk-away rate.
Should you lease onto a carrier first?
It is a real option if your own authority isn't bringing in enough freight yet. In Motus, you can voluntarily suspend your authority to lease onto another carrier temporarily, then reinstate it up to one year after the suspension date. Our Trucking 101 guide weighs leasing on against your own authority.
Is Amazon Relay an option for new authority?
Not right away. Relay typically requires a DOT number at least 180 days old to complete onboarding, though it invites carriers to apply early. Our Amazon Relay guide for new carriers covers the rest of its requirements.
How do you get paid on your first loads?
By the broker or shipper, on its own payment terms, after delivery and paperwork. That wait is where new carriers run short of cash, so plan for it before the first load.
Federal rules give you two protections with brokers. Every property broker must keep a $75,000 surety bond or trust fund in effect, which pays motor carriers if the broker fails to carry out its contracts. Since January 16, 2026, when claims paid from that security drop it below $75,000, FMCSA notifies the broker that its authority will be suspended within 7 business days unless the security is restored.
Brokers must also keep a record of each load for three years, including the freight charges collected and the date they paid the carrier, and every party to the load has the right to review it.
Factoring is one way to cover the wait: you sell the invoice and get most of it now. Our truck factoring guide explains the fees and the notice of assignment, and our freight fraud guide shows how to verify a broker before you haul.
Which business questions come before your first load?
Four more questions from the webinar are worth settling early, because each one is hard to undo once you have filed.
How many USDOT numbers can a trucking company have?
One. FMCSA assigns a unique USDOT number to each legal person, whether an individual, corporation, or partnership, and each separate entity needs its own. A number can't be sold, transferred, rented, or leased. A new company formed to escape an old one's record is a chameleon carrier.
Which state should you start a trucking company in?
The one you actually run it from. Under the IRP, your base state must be one where you have an established place of business, where your fleet travels, and where its records are kept. Under the plan as amended October 1, 2025, that means a physical office, owned or leased for at least 12 months and staffed at least 20 hours a week. Virtual and shared offices don't qualify.
Without one, you can base where you prove residence. Your IFTA base follows your registration state. The IRP's own commentary says the rule isn't meant to let carriers shop for a base.
Do you need two years of experience to get your own authority?
Not under federal rules. An interstate driver must be at least 21, hold a valid license for the vehicle, and be able, by experience, training, or both, to operate it safely. Insurers set their own experience standards, and our insurance guide for new carriers explains how they weigh it.
Can an SBA loan fund a new trucking company?
It can. SBA 7(a) loans go up to $5 million through participating lenders, for working capital, equipment, and more, if the business is creditworthy and can't get the credit on reasonable terms elsewhere. SBA microloans go up to $50,000, average about $13,000, and come through nonprofit lenders.
Either way, you apply through a lender, not SBA itself, so bring a cash plan. Our guide to starting a trucking company shows how to build one.
How Simplex helps new carriers book their first loads
A clean record, steady freight, and cash between loads. We help with all three.
Filings brokers check first
Our trucking authority packages file your USDOT number, MC authority, BOC-3, and UCR, so the record a broker pulls up is complete.
A dispatcher for your first lanes
Our freight planning team assigns you a dispatcher who finds and negotiates loads, and checks customers before you haul.
Cash while brokers pay
Simplex offers non-recourse freight factoring, paid by wire, ACH, or fuel card once delivery is verified.
Frequently asked questions
How long before a new MC number can get loads?+
Why won't brokers work with my new MC number?+
How many DOT numbers can a trucking company have?+
What is the best state to start a trucking company?+
Are there SBA loans for trucking companies?+
Where this information comes from
The rules below come from federal regulation, FMCSA, the Supreme Court, the IRP, and the SBA, checked on October 20, 2026.
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1
eCFR — 49 CFR 365.115
An unopposed grant becomes effective when FMCSA issues the certificate, permit, or license.
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2
FMCSA — Registration Alerts
Paper certificates don't prove active authority; identity verification for new registrants.
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3
FMCSA — Insurance Filing Requirements
Liability minimums, cargo coverage only for household goods, and keeping filings on file after the grant.
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4
eCFR — 49 CFR 385.307
The 18-month new entrant monitoring period and when the safety audit happens.
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5
eCFR — 49 CFR 387.307
The $75,000 broker surety bond or trust fund and what it pays.
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6
Supreme Court — Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, No. 24-1238
Decided May 14, 2026: negligent-hiring claims against brokers aren't preempted.
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7
FMCSA — New USDOT number FAQ
One unique, non-transferable USDOT number for each legal person.
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8
IRP — International Registration Plan, Section 305
Base jurisdiction, the established place of business test, and residence.
Written by
Gabriel Gonzalez
Chief Revenue Officer, Simplex Group
Chief Revenue Officer at Simplex Group, with more than 22 years at the company, including nearly 16 years as Chief Operating Officer. His background combines revenue strategy with deep operational experience, giving him a strong perspective on how compliance, risk, permits, cash flow, and operational readiness affect a carrier's ability to grow profitably.
Published · Updated
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For a new carrier, the record is the sales pitch
Brokers can't judge a new MC number on history, so they judge what they can check: an issued authority, filings that match, and clean first inspections.
If you want help with filings, freight planning, and cash flow before your first load, talk to our team.