Motor Carriers: For-Hire Trucking

A motor carrier is an asset-based company that provides truck transportation. These carriers can either be private or for-hire. The Balance Small Business defines a carrier for hire as a company—or even an owner-operator—that provides transportation services for passengers, household goods, or regulated property for compensation.

These commercial carriers can be sought out for hire, forgoing the need to conduct these operations in-house, which can be limiting.

Read on for more information about how these for-hire motor carriers work, how to choose the right carriers, and why these are worth hiring for your business.

Using Motor Carriers for Your Business

A third-party logistics business involves drivers who will take care of transporting goods for you. There are several benefits that come with choosing a for-hire motor carrier, as opposed to doing the job in-house. The following are some benefits that come with a for-hire carrier:

• Depending on the cargo, the size of the vehicle matters. A for-hire carrier has various sizes of trucks that will be most appropriate for the particular freight.
• Purchasing your own truck and paying your own drivers can be costly, therefore third-party trucking companies can help you save money as they provide both for you already.
• You can minimize risks when you hire carriers as it will become their responsibility to manage and handle the freight and deal with any potential damage or hiccups. They remain transparent throughout the process and will inform you of all updates and costs along the way.

Choosing the Right Motor Carrier

When choosing a motor carrier operating authority to hire, there are a number of things to consider. It is important that you validate freight forwarders according to the following requirements:

• US Department of Transportation or USDOT Number,which is a requirement for traveling across state lines or for intrastate commerce in 35 states in North America.
• Valid Motor Carrier or MC Number from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which may be checked by verifying the number on the motor carrier authority website. This will tell you whether or not the for-hire motor carrier is operating legally, and provide you with a detailed account of changes that have occurred since they were given their MC number.
• Safety Rating,which may be found on the website of the Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System. The safety rating will include proof of the records and service rates of the carrier.
• Certificate of Insurance (COI),for the carrier's insurance coverage or cargo insurance, which tells you the necessary insurance policy rates, deductibles, and coverages.

Ensuring the Safety of Your Motor Carriers

For-hire trucking carriers transport either goods and passengers across state lines and thus, it is necessary that they comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). This motor carrier authority indicates these safety regulations to enhance highway safety for anyone who shares roads with motor carriers that are used for interstate transport.

Due to the possibility of accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations dictate the maximum number of consecutive hours operators can drive these vehicles, to mobile phone restrictions, medical examinations for drivers, and commercial driver's licenses issued by their home states.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Additional Resources

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

The FMCSA is the leading federal agency that takes charge of overseeing commercial motor vehicles. They can walk you through the registration process and dictate the best practices for ensuring safety on the road.

American Trucking Associations (ATA)

The ATA is the biggest national trade association for the trucking industry. You can find industry data, programs, and the latest news on their website.

The Benefit of Using Motor Carriers

Hiring a motor carrier company can save your business time, money, and resources while ensuring convenience and safety above all. There are tons of providers to choose from depending on your needs, and you may be relieved to know that they handle all of the work for you.

Assured Standard hopes that you have gotten all the information you need about motor carriers and for-hire trucking. Want to learn more? Connect with Assured Standard today!