TRUCKING FROM ZERO

Owner-operator resources

Every official link you need to start, run and protect a small trucking company, in the order you'll need them. All links go straight to the government agency or official program, not to middlemen who charge for free forms.

1. Authority2. Compliance3. Taxes & fees4. Safety record5. Brokers & scams6. Free tools

1. Get your authority

USDOT number, operating authority (MC), process agent and insurance. These four have to be done before your authority goes active.

Do I need a USDOT number?FMCSA's official check for who needs a USDOT number and operating authority.FMCSA FMCSA registrationApply for your USDOT number and operating authority directly with FMCSA.FMCSA BOC-3 process agentsWhat a process agent is, and why your authority won't activate without a BOC-3 filing.FMCSA Insurance filing requirementsThe proof of insurance your insurer must file with FMCSA, and the minimum coverage levels.FMCSA

2. Stay compliant

The rules that apply from your first load. Missing these is how new carriers fail their new entrant audit.

Drug & Alcohol ClearinghouseRegister, run required queries on drivers (including yourself), and report violations.FMCSA Drug & alcohol testing programWho must be tested and when. Owner-operators usually join a consortium to meet this.FMCSA Hours of serviceDriving limits, required breaks and the exceptions, straight from the source.FMCSA Registered ELD listCheck that an ELD is on FMCSA's registered list (and not revoked) before you buy it.FMCSA New entrant safety auditWhat FMCSA checks during your first 12 months, and the mistakes that cause automatic failure.FMCSA Update your registration (MCS-150)Required every two years, and any time your address, fleet or operation changes.FMCSA

3. Taxes & yearly fees

Recurring filings with hard deadlines. Put every one of them on your calendar. The Deadline Calendar in the free kit covers them.

Unified Carrier Registration (UCR)The official UCR site. Register and pay every year. Watch out for look-alike sites that add fees.UCR Plan Form 2290 (heavy vehicle use tax)Filed every year for heavy trucks. You need the stamped Schedule 1 for your registration.IRS IFTA (fuel tax agreement)How the fuel tax agreement works. You get your license and file quarterly through your base state.IFTA, Inc. Quarterly estimated taxesNo employer withholds for you anymore. Here's how quarterly estimated payments work.IRS

4. Your safety record

Brokers and shippers look you up before they book you. Check what they see.

SAFER company snapshotLook up any carrier or broker by USDOT or MC number: status, inspections and crashes.FMCSA SMS safety scoresYour Safety Measurement System data, the scores that can trigger an FMCSA review.FMCSA

5. Check brokers & avoid scams

Double brokering, fake brokers and fake "compliance" notices hit new MC numbers hardest.

Verify a broker's authorityBefore you haul, look up the broker's MC number, confirm their authority is active, and call the phone number listed there, not the one in the email.FMCSA Report fraud or a bad brokerFMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database, for reporting broker fraud, non-payment and safety issues.FMCSA

FMCSA doesn't demand payment over the phone or by text to keep your authority active. If you get a scary "compliance" letter or call, look the topic up yourself on FMCSA.gov before you pay anyone.

6. Free tools

Cost per mile & load profit calculatorFree web calculator: your break-even cost per mile, whether a load makes money after deadhead and factoring, and your cash runway.Trucking From Zero Owner-Operator Survival KitOur free kit: Load Profit Calculator, New Authority Roadmap, Deadline Calendar, Factoring Red-Flag Scorecard, Scam Field Guide and Cash Runway Worksheet.Trucking From Zero U.S. Small Business AdministrationFree business planning help, loan programs and local advisors.SBA IRS small business tax centerDeductions, recordkeeping and self-employment tax basics.IRS Trucking From Zero on YouTubeStep-by-step videos on authority, factoring, finding loads and staying compliant.YouTube

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