New Entrant Information

When a carrier applies for and receives a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Number, they are considered a New Entrant.

We understand that companies have to comply with many different requirements from a variety of regulatory entities. The following orientation information pages will guide you, as a new carrier, through the many and complex federal motor carrier regulations so that you can operate safely and continue to remain in compliance.

Consider this comparison: The last time you boarded a plane have you ever wondered:

• Are my pilots sober? 
• Who checked?
• Are they physically qualified to fly? 
• Do they use illegal drugs on or off the job? 
• How many violations are on their flying records? 
• Have they ever crashed? 
• Are they too tired to fly? 
• Are they even qualified to operate this aircraft?

If you knew the pilot was not able or qualified to fly, would you still board the plane? These same questions apply to the drivers of commercial vehicles. As a company who uses commercial vehicles, it is your responsible to the motoring public to ensure your drivers are qualified and safe to drive.

Motor carriers and their employees or representatives must comply with the commercial vehicle regulations when they:

• Are involved in for-hire or private-property operations, OR
• Use CMVs as part of a business or in commerce, OR
• Transport property, Hazardous Materials, Household Goods or passengers

That is the information you will find on the next few pages. Quite simply, to comply with the requirements of a new entrant, you must:

• Operate Safely
• Use qualified drivers
• Maintain up-to-date records
• Conduct periodic inspections and perform maintenance on your vehicles

This site is designed to take you through the highlights of the regulations that you need to know about. Each page will cover a different area of the regulations as well as give you links to related forms. At the top and bottom of each page are buttons to take you to the next and previous section. You will also find a menu at the bottom right to jump to a specific topic. Overall, it should only take you about 20 - 30 minutes to go through all the information briefly. Let's get started!