Company Profile - Authority & Environment

• Doing-Business-As Name: This may be a trade name under which the company does business. Any name identifying the entity other than the legal name.
• Company Type: Refers to the type of operation in which the motor carrier is engaged. It identifies the entity as a carrier, hazardous materials shipper, both a carrier and a shipper, or registrant.
• Legal Name: This is the legal name of the company.

Note: This information is sourced from the FMCSA. If you are a carrier and wish to update your company's information displayed in this section, please click here.

• Safety Rating: FMCSA issues a Satisfactory, Conditional, or Unsatisfactory rating to a carrier following a compliance review to indicate compliance with the safety fitness standard (49 CFR 385.5)of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

What to look for:

• Check the Safety Rating. It is advisable never to use a carrier with an unsatisfactory safety rating. If you want to use a carrier with a conditional rating, investigate the underlying cause for the rating and get written proof of any corrective actions take to resolve the issue

Understanding a carrier's authority type and status ensures they are compliant with FMCSA regulations and actively authorized to operate, minimizing your risk. Knowing any pending applications also helps anticipate changes in their capabilities, aiding efficient and informed decision-making.

• Authority Type: These fields refer to the status of the operating authority registration in the Licensing and Insurance (L&I) database, and indicate whether the entity is registered as a common carrier, contract carrier, and/or a property broker. Freight forwarder authority is identified by the prefix "FF" in the Docket Number field and is listed as contract authority.
• Status: 
  • An 'Active' status for the Common, Contract, or Broker, fields means the carrier, freight forwarder, and/or broker is currently registered and has complied with applicable insurance regulations.
  • An 'Inactive' status means that the operating authority for the carrier, freight forwarder, and/or broker has been revoked and for-hire interstate operations are illegal.
  • A 'None' status means the carrier, freight forwarder, and/or broker has not registered for that type of authority.
• Application: This displays any pending applications that a carrier has filed, but that have not yet been granted, denied, or dismissed.

What to look for:

• You should see the word “Active” in the status column for either Common or Contract Authority.

Note: This information is sourced from the FMCSA Licensing & Insurance. If you are a carrier and wish to update your company's information displayed in this section, please click here.

Understanding a carrier's operation type helps confirm whether they are authorized for interstate or intrastate, hazardous or non-hazardous transport, ensuring compliance with FMCSA regulations. Knowing the number of power units and total drivers indicates the carrier's capacity and ability to handle your freight needs. The MCS-150 form date and reported mileage provide insights into the carrier's recent activity and operational scale, aiding in assessing their reliability and performance.

• Operation Type: Identifies the carrier as being engaged in interstate, intrastate hazardous material, or intrastate non-hazardous material transport activities.
• Out of Interstate Service:Carrier is under any type of out-of-service order and is not authorized to operate.
• Power Units: Identifies the number of Trucks, Tractors, Hazardous Material Tank Trucks, Motor Coaches, School Buses, Mini-Bus/Vans and Limousines owned, term leased or trip leased by the motor carrier.
• MCS-150 Form Date: Date from the MCS-150 Registration Form.
• MCS-150 Mileage/Year: Mileage from the MCS-150 Registration Form.
• Drivers: Total number of drivers employed by the carrier/shipper.

What to look for:

1. Operation Type: Ensure that the carrier is authorized to haul the type of freight you need to move (e.g., interstate, hazardous material...)
2. Out of Interstate Service: A carrier under any out-of-service is not authorized to operate and should be avoided until their status is resolved.
3. Power Units: Assess the number of power units a carrier owns. Larger fleets may indicate more capacity and flexibility.
4. MCS-150 Form Date: Look at the date to see how recently the carrier updated their information. Older dates may suggest outdated data, which could indicate a lack of recent operational activity or oversight.
5. style="margin-top:0.5em;"MCS-150 Mileage/Year: Review the mileage to gauge the carrier's operational scale and activity level. Higher mileage might indicate a well-established, active carrier, while low mileage could signal limited operations.
6. Drivers: Consider the number of drivers relative to the fleet size.

Note: This information is sourced from SAFER. If you are a carrier and wish to update your company's information displayed in this section, please click here.

Understanding a carrier's compliance with CARB is crucial for operations in California, ensuring they meet strict air quality standards and avoid penalties. Additionally, a carrier's involvement in the SmartWay program signals their commitment to fuel efficiency and reducing environmental impact, enhancing your company’s sustainability profile and compliance with environmental regulations.

• CARB: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is responsible for maintaining public health, welfare, and ecological resources by effectively reducing air pollutants. It leads climate change programs and oversees all air pollution control efforts in California, aiming to achieve health-based air quality standards. CARB sets innovative air quality standards, often surpassing national requirements, and engages in research and regulatory actions to combat climate change and reduce air pollution impacts, especially in vulnerable communities.
• SmartWay: SmartWay, launched by the EPA in 2004, is a voluntary public-private initiative that improves supply chain sustainability by providing a system to track and share data on fuel use and freight emissions. It helps companies choose efficient freight options and operational strategies, enhancing energy security and reducing environmental risks. Supported by a wide range of stakeholders including industry associations, environmental groups, and governments, SmartWay promotes the adoption of advanced fuel-saving technologies to lower freight transportation emissions.
  • g/m CO2 Rank: A ranking system that measures the grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per mile by a vehicle or fleet. It is used to assess environmental performance in terms of CO2 emissions efficiency.
  • g/tm CO2 Rank: A ranking system that measures the grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per ton-mile, which assesses the efficiency of CO2 emissions relative to the weight of cargo transported over a distance.
  • g/m NOx Rank: A ranking system that measures the grams of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions per mile by a vehicle or fleet. It evaluates the environmental impact in terms of NOx emissions per distance traveled.
  • g/tm NOx Rank: A ranking system that measures the grams of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions per ton-mile. This metric is used to evaluate the efficiency of NOx emissions based on the cargo weight transported over a distance.
  • g/m PM Rank: A ranking system that measures the grams of particulate matter (PM) emissions per mile by a vehicle or fleet. It assesses the environmental impact in terms of particulate emissions per distance traveled.
  • g/tm PM Rank: A ranking system that measures the grams of particulate matter (PM) emissions per ton-mile. This evaluates the efficiency of particulate emissions relative to the weight of cargo transported over a distance.

What to look for:

• CARB: If you’re moving freight in California, ensure the carrier is CARB certified to meet strict emissions standards and avoid regulatory issues.
• SmartWay: A SmartWay certified carrier is committed to fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, making them a more sustainable and cost-effective choice.

Identifies the type of cargo transported by the carrier.