Short answer: Many brokers’ onboarding systems flag any authority younger than 60–90 days, and some want 6–12 months of history. You can still get loaded from day one: have $1M auto liability and $100K cargo insurance filed and showing, send a clean setup packet to 15–20 brokers that accept new authorities, use load boards for your first loads, and deliver every early load on time. If you can’t wait, running under an established carrier’s authority (a lease-on) gets you hauling while your own MC ages.
Getting your MC number feels like the finish line, but for most new carriers it’s where the waiting starts. Brokers don’t judge your years behind the wheel — they judge your authority. A brand-new MC has no load history, no billing record and no track record with them, so many of their systems hold you back automatically. Here’s how to get past that faster.
It isn’t personal. Brokers are on the hook if a load goes missing or a carrier disappears, and fraud with new authorities is a real problem for them. Their onboarding platforms check a few things first:
| What they check | What a new MC usually runs into |
|---|---|
| Authority age | Carrier-vetting platforms such as RMIS, SaferWatch and Carrier411 flag authorities under 60–90 days for manual review. Some brokers want 6–12 months. |
| Insurance | The common minimum is $1M auto liability and $100K cargo. A policy that’s active but not yet showing in the databases can still stall your setup. |
| Safety record | With few inspections on file, even one early violation stands out. |
| History with them | No completed loads and no billing history yet, so you’re an unknown. |
The good news: the first handful of loads you deliver on time carry a lot of weight. Once you have 60–90 days of clean history, far more brokers open up.
Get these sorted before you start calling brokers. Missing paperwork is the most common reason a setup stalls.
Need help with any of this? Our company setup and compliance teams handle it for new carriers every week.
| When | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Subscribe to a load board, finish your setup packet, register on the onboarding platforms. |
| Week 2 | Send setup packets to 15–20 brokers known to work with new authorities. |
| Weeks 3–4 | First approvals come in. Take fair-paying loads that build history and get you home on time. Deliver every one on time with clean paperwork. |
| Months 2–3 | Apply to 10–15 more brokers. Pick the 3–5 who treat you best and build regular lanes with them. |
| Day 90 | Review: rate per mile, empty miles, which brokers pay fast. Most new carriers see far more doors open around this point. |
Our dispatchers know which brokers take new MCs and send your packets for you.
For most new carriers, load boards supply the large majority of loads in the first 90 days. Typical monthly prices in 2026:
| Load board | Typical monthly cost |
|---|---|
| DAT One | $150–$400 |
| Truckstop | $40–$300 |
| 123Loadboard | $50–$100 |
Not every broker has an age rule, and some will make exceptions for hard-to-cover freight such as flatbed or specialized loads. The trick is knowing which ones — and calling quickly when a load posts.
New carriers get offered the lowest rates on the board. Taking a $1.50/mile load on a lane that averages $2.30 doesn’t build your business; it just burns fuel and tires. Know your cost per mile and set a floor.
A dispatcher who already has broker relationships can shorten all of this. See our authority support page and what dispatch costs.
Every new carrier is in FMCSA’s New Entrant program and is monitored for 18 months. You’ll get a safety audit within your first 12 months of operating. FMCSA contacts you by phone or mail, and the audit can happen at your office or electronically. It checks:
Some violations cause an automatic fail. If you fail, you get a written notice and must submit a corrective action plan — usually within 60 days — or your registration can be revoked. Keep your files organised from day one and it’s a routine check.
If brokers keep turning your MC away — or you don’t have your own authority yet — you can lease your truck on to an established carrier and haul under their MC while yours ages. With RapidWay’s Lease-On Program you run under our broker-approved authority, with dispatch included:
| Lease-On Program | |
|---|---|
| Tractor-trailers | 15% of gross, dispatch included |
| Box trucks & hotshots | 20% of gross, dispatch included |
When your own authority is ready, you can switch to dispatch only — 5% for tractor-trailers, 8% for box trucks and hotshots — and keep the same dispatcher.
Many brokers’ onboarding systems flag authorities under 60–90 days, and some want 6–12 months. Plenty of brokers will still work with you from day one if your insurance and paperwork are in order, especially for hard-to-cover freight.
Most brokers expect at least $1 million in auto liability and $100,000 in cargo coverage, filed with FMCSA and showing in the onboarding databases. Some shippers ask for more.
Most new carriers start on a load board. A dispatcher adds broker relationships, rate negotiation and paperwork — useful when you’d rather drive than spend hours on the phone. RapidWay dispatch is 5% of gross for tractor-trailers and 8% for box trucks and hotshots.
FMCSA monitors new carriers for 18 months and runs a safety audit within the first 12 months of operation. It checks drug and alcohol testing, driver files, hours of service, maintenance records and insurance.
Yes — by leasing your truck on to a carrier and running under their authority. RapidWay’s Lease-On Program costs 15% of gross for tractor-trailers and 20% for box trucks and hotshots, with dispatch included.
No setup fee, no contract. A dispatcher calls you back within the hour, Mon–Fri.