Brokers that work with new authorities, the carrier packet and insurance they expect, where to find loads in your first months, and how to pass the new entrant safety audit.
To get loads with a new MC authority, set up a complete carrier packet and the insurance brokers expect, then focus on load boards and brokers that work with new authorities. Check each load's minimum authority age before you call, use load alerts to book fast, and build a few broker relationships while your authority ages. Most new carriers find it gets much easier after the first few months of clean, on-time loads.
Key takeaways
- Many brokers set a minimum authority age, so target the ones that accept new authorities instead of calling everyone.
- A complete carrier packet and the right insurance get you approved faster.
- Load boards that show each broker's minimum authority age save hours of wasted calls.
- Scammers target new carriers, so check every broker before you book.
- Your new entrant safety audit comes within the first 12 months, so keep your records clean from day one.
Why new authorities struggle to get loads
To a broker, a brand-new MC number is an unknown. There is no safety history, no payment history and no track record of on-time deliveries. Freight fraud has also made brokers more careful, because scammers often use new authorities.
That's why many brokers and shippers set a minimum authority age, often somewhere between a few months and a year. Rules vary a lot by company:
- C.H. Robinson lets carriers sign up as soon as their MC or DOT number is active, with no prior experience required. It notes that some shippers' freight needs 90 days.
- Amazon Relay asks for interstate authority active for at least 180 days, plus its own insurance and safety requirements.
Other brokers have no minimum at all for some loads. The trick is finding them quickly. If you are still sorting out your numbers, read our guide on MC number vs DOT number.
Get set up before you look for loads
Build a complete carrier packet
Brokers approve carriers with complete paperwork first. Keep these ready to send:
- Your operating authority letter, with USDOT and MC numbers.
- A certificate of insurance from your agent.
- A signed W-9.
- A notice of assignment if you use a factoring company.
Make sure your BOC-3 process agent filing is on file and your authority shows as active before you send anything.
Carry the insurance brokers expect
Federal rules set a minimum, but brokers often ask for more. Many require $1,000,000 in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage, and some shippers ask for higher limits. Check each broker's requirements before you buy a policy.
Complete your onboarding profiles
Many brokers onboard carriers through platforms such as Highway or RMIS. Completing your profile once can speed up approval with every broker that uses them.
Where to find loads with a new authority
Load boards that show the authority-age requirement
Calling a broker only to hear "we need one year" wastes your day. On the Just Tracking free load board, every load shows the broker's minimum authority age, credit score and days to pay. You can chat with the broker from the load, with the details attached automatically, or send a rate offer without picking up the phone.
Set load alerts for your lanes and equipment. New authorities compete on speed, and an alert lets you claim a matching load before it's gone.
Let brokers find you
Don't only chase loads. Post your available truck with your equipment, preferred destinations and available date. When you're empty right now, have your driver turn on Ready Now in the Just Tracking driver app, and the truck shows live on the Available Trucks map with its type and location. Brokers and dispatchers looking for capacity nearby can reach you directly.
Broker apps that accept new carriers
Some large brokers let you sign up once your authority is active, and others open up after a few months. Apply early, since approval can take days, and note which apps you qualify for as your authority ages.
Build relationships with a few brokers
One good load can turn into steady freight. Deliver on time, send paperwork the same day, answer calls and ask the broker if they have reloads on that lane. Brokers remember carriers who make their job easy.
Work with a dispatcher
An experienced dispatcher already knows which brokers work with new authorities. If you go this route, check their references and agree on the fee in writing.
Look for direct and local freight
Local manufacturers, distributors and warehouses sometimes need a reliable truck and care less about authority age. Our guide on building direct shipper relationships explains how to start.
A simple plan for your first 90 days
- Week 1: confirm your authority is active, send your carrier packet to onboarding platforms and set load alerts for your main lanes.
- Weeks 2 to 4: book loads from brokers with no minimum authority age, deliver on time and send paperwork the same day.
- Month 2: ask your best brokers for reloads and regular lanes, and apply to broker apps you now qualify for.
- Month 3: review your rate per mile against your real cost per mile, drop lanes that don't pay, and keep your safety records audit-ready.
Pass your new entrant safety audit
FMCSA monitors new carriers for an initial 18-month period, and the safety audit must happen within 12 months of starting operations. Some problems mean an automatic failure, including:
- No drug and alcohol testing program, or no random testing.
- Using a driver without a valid CDL or medical qualification.
- Operating without the required insurance.
- Not requiring drivers to keep hours-of-service records.
- Running a vehicle placed out of service before it's repaired.
Keep driver files, maintenance records and logs organized from your first load. A clean audit protects your authority and makes brokers more comfortable working with you.
Avoid scams aimed at new carriers
New carriers are a favorite target for fake brokers, double brokering and payment scams. Check every broker's authority, bond, contact details and payment history before you book, using our 7 broker checks.
Company Snapshot puts it on one screen: search any broker by MC or DOT number to see authority, the bond and its history, revocation notices, credit score, days to pay and verified reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long before brokers will work with a new MC authority?
It depends on the broker. Some work with carriers as soon as the authority is active, while others want a few months to a year. Amazon Relay, for example, asks for 180 days.
Do any brokers work with brand-new authorities?
Yes. Several large brokers, including C.H. Robinson, let carriers sign up once their authority is active. Load boards that show each broker's minimum authority age make the rest easier to find.
What insurance do I need to get loads as a new carrier?
Many brokers require $1,000,000 in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage. Some shippers and broker apps ask for more, so check before you buy.
When is the new entrant safety audit?
FMCSA's safety audit must happen within 12 months after you start operating. You stay in the new entrant program for an initial 18 months.
Can I use a free load board with a new MC number?
Yes. Free load boards let you search loads right away, and some show each broker's authority-age requirement, so you only call brokers who can work with you.
Start booking loads with your new authority
Find brokers who work with new carriers without wasting calls. Sign up for Just Tracking for free and see the minimum authority age on 250,000+ daily loads before you call.
