In the world of commercial transportation, keeping your operational authority compliant with federal regulations is a must. As such, the FMCSA created the DOT Clearinghouse to help carriers and drivers maintain road safety by tracking drug and alcohol program violations. However, several companies still make many mistakes that lead to DOT Clearinghouse violations, from oversight to lack of internal processes. The cost of violations are heavy and can lead to…

Starting a trucking company can be an exciting new start —but it also means complying with strict regulatory responsibilities. If you've received your USDOT number in the last year, you need to undergo a New Entrant Safety Audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This audit is the deciding point for whether or not your company has the proper safety management controls to operate with compliance. However, many…

If you're a carrier or owner-operator in a trucking business, in 2025, your CSA score might be the ultimate deciding factor on whether you win new businesses or lose your operating authority. That’s why it’s essential to understand how to lower your CSA score and effectively apply the best practices in 2025. The FMCSA is growing stricter about compliance violations, brokers are inspecting carrier profiles closer, and insurance premiums are…

Diesel prices are rising again —with a reported surge of 10% in just the span of 6 weeks! According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average price of Diesel in the U.S.A. has increased to $3.68 per gallon. Additionally, for carriers, each mile is growing more pricey. Although you can't control the increase in Diesel prices, you can instead control how your operation functions. This is where your…

The Unified Carrier Registration is one of the many major filings needed for truck drivers. The registration came after a federal law passed in 2005 that established a program for commercial vehicle operators. This program specifically applied to drivers who did interstate business and with the program, drivers had to pay an annual fee. This annual fee is the UCR registration fee. The fee amount varies as it is based…

On Halloween night, outside you can hear children screaming in fright, while ghoulish creatures roam the streets calling for tricks or treats. Well, maybe that is only sort of true. The children really are in costumes (some ghoulish, but others cute and silly) and they are the ones saying the classic words “trick or treat.” But we did this all begin? How did Halloween become Halloween as we know it…

As a truck driver, there are certain requirements in terms of permits and authorities that you need to operate your business. Depending on certain aspects of your business, different filings are required. The factors that determine what filings you need in order to have all proper permits and authorities range from things such as vehicle weight, what cargo is carried, and where you operate to name a few. One authority…

During the annual "Brake Safety Day," inspectors in 47 areas across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico checked nearly 5,000 vehicles in one day. This event is part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) efforts to ensure commercial vehicles are safe on the road, focusing specifically on brake systems. The inspections are unannounced each spring, and the exact date was kept secret this year. However, it was later revealed that…

Cargado shared on Monday that it has received $6.8 million in funding to help it grow its team and improve its product. This money, called seed funding, comes from investors who believe in Cargado's potential. Primary Venture Partners led this funding round, with others like Ironspring Ventures, Zenda Capital, Wischoff Ventures, Proeza Ventures, and a new investor called RyderVentures also chipping in. Earlier, in January, Cargado got $3 million in…

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced significant updates to its registration system during the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. They acknowledged that their current system had fallen behind and had allowed widespread fraud to occur. The FMCSA promised to completely revamp their verification processes and enhance the overall user experience. One major change involves doing away with MC numbers and relying solely on USDOT numbers as the…