All motor carriers, brokers, and leasing companies that haul across state lines or within a state that adheres to the UCR program, are required to register their US DOT Numbers with the Unified Carrier Registration.
All UCR filings will be completed during normal business hours.
Starting January 1, 2024, all relevant companies in the trucking industry, that lack Unified Carrier Registration compliance, may be subjected to citations, fines, and penalties imposed by individual states, the DOT and the board of the Unified Carrier Registration. You will also not be allowed to renew your trucks' registrations as well as IFTA. In order to ensure complete compliance, the aforementioned freight hauling companies are advised to verify that the number of trucks requiring registration matches the amount listed on the MCS-150 / Biennial Update that was last filed (this number will affect filing fee and truck tier pricing). Please note, pricing is for the UCR filing fee, processing fee, filing fee and there may be additional fees for processing time as well as a certificate.
For brokers, it is recommended to complete this registration under the 1-2 trucks section if business operations include interstate activity (if brokering any loads outside of the state the company is operating in).
Please note, the total listed fee at checkout is for the UCR fee as assessed by the UCR board for the year and the number of trucks registered, service charge, and there may be additional fees for processing time.
Out-of-Service commonly refers to a situation where a vehicle or driver cannot operate (temporarily or permanently) because of violating a certain set of conditions. When this happens, the affected vehicle or driver faces a stringent 30-day OOS period during which operations cease.
You must follow Out-of-Service (OOS) Reinstatement procedures to resume operations legally.
Common Causes of Being Placed Out-of-Service
Out-of-service status prevents legal operation under your DOT number or MC authority. Depending on the cause, you may also face fines and penalties. The most common reasons include:
- Failed safety audit
- Driver violations
- Vehicle violations
- Failure to complete the registration process or schedule the safety audit
- General compliance violations
DOT OOS Reinstatement
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandates repairs and re-evaluation for any commercial vehicle found Out-of-Service before resuming operation.
Navigating Out-of-Service (OOS) Reinstatement demands a systematic approach. You must complete a Corrective Action Plan which typically involves prompt corrective actions, filing relevant documentation, fee/penalty payments, and adherence to DOT regulations.
You must file for reinstatement on or after the 30th day for the operating authority to reinstate the vehicle or driver. Successful reinstatement after the 30-day OOS period allows your business to resume operations legally and safely, emphasizing operational efficiency and ongoing compliance.