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Item

Where

Cost

Notes

Operating Authority (MC Number)

http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov

$300 one time charge

You need an MC number (aka Operating Authority) if:

• You are going to be working for yourself (NOT leased onto another company)
• You are operating interstate (crossing state lines). If you are never leaving your home state, check with your home state for rules and regulations.
• You will be hauling "for hire." This means you will be hauling other peoples goods. If you are only hauling your own company's goods, you do not need an operating authority.

When signing up, they will ask you what type of carrier you are: I am a "common carrier" this basically means that I do business with anyone. There will be descriptions of each type, but this is what most people will be.

I would strongly suggest that you do not get your MC number until you have insurance lined up, or at least gotten real quotes. You will have a certain amount of time to get all paper work in order once you get your USDOT/MC number otherwise they will deactivate you. Once you are deactivated it's an $80 charge to re-activate. It also involves more paperwork that cannot be done online.

US DOT number

http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov

FREE

You need a USDOT number if:

• You are going to be working for yourself (NOT leased onto another company)
• You are operating interstate (crossing state lines). If you are never leaving your home state, check with your home state for rules and regulations.
• Regardless of whether you are hauling "for hire" or "not for hire". So, if you need an MC number, then you must get a USDOT number, but not vice versa.

If you are getting an MC number, I would suggest getting the MC and USDOT numbers at the same time. The same warning applies to getting your USDOT number with regard to insurance.

Process Agent/BOC-3 filing

$45 per year

A Process agent is basically someone who the FMCSA has on file who will forward legal papers to you. This is a requirement if you have a USDOT number or an MC number.. Many places will set you up for $55 for a 1 time fee. OOIDA will do this for you for free WITH membership, which costs $45/year.
OOIDA is the Owner Operators and Independent Drivers Association. They are sort of like lobbyists for the "little" guys.

CDL License

Your local DMV/MVC

Check your licensing state.

Depending on your state, if your gross combination weight is more than 26,000 (most states), or if your trailer gross vehicle weight is more than 10,000 (some states?).

Gross combination weight rating is often calculated by adding the GVWR of the power unit (truck) to the GVWR of the trailer.

So a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel with a 14K gooseneck trailer would have a GCWR of 9000# + 14000# = 23000#. In this case, a CDL is not required in my state.

Some states such as North Carolina for example, will require a CDL if your trailer GVWR is over 10,000 lbs. However, since my licensing state does not require a CDL, it has been my experience that I can travel freely to and through all states, including North Carolina (or other states requiring a CDL if the trailer GVWR is over 10,000 lbs), without a CDL.

UCR Registration

ON line

About $40.00

All motor carriers authorized to engage in interstate transportation of passengers or property as a common or contract carrier by the Federal Highway Administration (formerly the Interstate Commerce Commission) shall register in the motor carrier's registration state for all states of travel.

Basically, this is another way for the states to get you! You need to sign up and register for UCR.

Primary Liability Insurance

Your insurance agent

$  ?  year

a lot of variables here that determine the cost of your premium

This is "the" topic! Primarily because it will be one of your largest expenses. Here are the requirements:

$750,000 primary liability for non hazardous commercial vehicles over 10,000 GVWR.

$300,000 for vehicles under 10,001 GVWR.

Hazardous is a whole different ballgame. 5 million liability regardless of weight.

As a "common carrier" (you haul other people's stuff), you also need a minimum of $10,000 of cargo insurance on file.

Price per year will depend entirely on your driving history, skills, background, credit, whether or not you have a CDL, etc.

My best quote has been with Progressive through an agent for about $6000 a year which includes $750,000 primary liability, $25,000 physical damage on my truck and $10,000 on my trailer with $2500 deductibles. An additional $2700 got me $100,000 of cargo insurance.

Your best bet is to speak with a REAL truck insurance broker.

Remember to tell your insurance company or broker that you need Federal insurance filings.

Cargo Insurance

Your insurance agent

?/year

See above for more info. Cargo coverage for the value of whatever you will be hauling. For a 3 car hauler I am getting $100,000. Minimum required for all "Common" Carriers is $10,000.

DOT Physical

Any doctor or outpatient clinic

$50

You need a DOT physical every 2 years. Must carry the card on you and keep the long form on file at home. This is one of THE simplest things to do. Here's some more info:

• They will test your eyesite.
• They will take a urinalysis (not for drugs).
• They will make sure you can tell red, green and yellow.
• They will test your hearing.

Other than that, it is basically a regular old physical.

DOT Inspection

$50-$100 or free?

You need to have your truck and trailer inspected every 1 year. You can technically do this yourself if you are qualified. Regardless of whether you do this yourself, or have someone else do it, you need to keep an "inspector qualification form" on file at your home terminal. This basically proves that whomever inspected your truck is qualified. In addition, keep the long form of the actual inspection in the truck, as well as at your terminal. Finally, I put an inspection sticker (short form) on the outside of the truck. The sticker is not a requirement if you have the long form in the truck I don't think but it can't hurt to have both.

Drug Testing

Drug testing

CDL drivers only

"The requirements for drug testing are if you hold a CDL and drive a truck over 26,000 pounds, then you have to be in a random drug testing program. If those two are not met, then a random drug testing program is not necessary according to DOT regulations."

This is only required for CDL drivers. If you are a CDL driver you need to be drug tested EVEN if you are a 1 man operation. Contact OOIDA for information about joining a drug test consortium.

FMCSA Regulations Rulebook

Truck stop

$5

Little green book--keep this in your truck. You are required to have access to this.

Vehicle registration

Your local DMV/MVC

$406 for 26,000 in NJ for truck plus $29 for trailer

This will depend on the state. In NJ and some other states, you have to register the vehicle as "COMMERCIAL" and get commercial plates. In NJ if you are pulling a trailer (especially if you are considered a tractor), your registration weight must be for the total of your truck and trailer, not just the GVWR of the truck. Please note that if you are over 26,000 lbs you have to do IRPA (apportioned plates) and IFTA (see below).  Each state will vary depending on how they tag the truck, but over 26K your best bet is probably to apportion.

Fire Extinguisher

Hardware store, home depot.

$15-$25

You must have an "5 B:C" or more mounted and gauged fire extinguisher on your truck or trailer. It can't just be lying in the truck. Wherever it is mounted, it must be marked "FIRE EXTINGUISHER" or "FIRE EXTINGUISHER INSIDE".

Safety Triangle Set

$10

You must have a DOT approved safety triangle set. You can pick this up from Ryder Flet Products for cheap!

HOS (Hours of Service) Log Book

$5

Here is the lowdown on log books.

First of all if your GVWR/GCWR is under 10,001 lbs., you are free to drive as much as you want without stopping and without logging.

If you are returning to your home terminal every day and you are not traveling more than 150 nautical miles (1 nautical mile is 1.15 miles) then you do not need to keep a log book, but you do need to keep a "RODS" (Record of Duty Status). If you are over 26,000 lbs, this changes from 150 nautical miles to 100 nautical miles.
If you are driving "over the road", i.e. you will not be returning to your home terminal, you must carry an official HOS log book and fill it out every time your status changes.

Regardless of whether or not you are returning to the home terminal, you have to follow the "Hours of Service" regulations.

You must be able to show a 7 (?) day history.

Daily Vehicle Inspection Log Book