USDOT Number
A federal identifier assigned to a motor carrier or other regulated transportation entity.
Glossary
Definitions for public trucking data fields and common motor carrier authority terms used in FMCSA records.
These definitions describe how terms appear in public FMCSA records and trucking industry data fields. They are meant for orientation when reading directory records, carrier packets, or verification workflows. For authoritative definitions, refer to official FMCSA publications and regulatory text.
MC Number
A docket number commonly associated with operating authority.
MX Number
A docket prefix commonly associated with certain Mexico-domiciled authority records.
FF Number
A docket prefix associated with freight forwarder authority.
Motor Carrier
A company or person that transports passengers or property by commercial motor vehicle.
Broker
An entity that arranges transportation by authorized motor carriers.
Freight Forwarder
An entity that may assemble, consolidate, or assume responsibility for shipments under forwarder authority.
Operating Authority
Permission recorded in federal systems for certain regulated transportation activities.
Common Authority
A type of authority historically tied to providing transportation to the public.
Contract Authority
Authority historically associated with transportation under contracts.
Private Carrier
A carrier transporting its own property or supporting its own business rather than acting as for-hire carrier.
For-Hire Carrier
A carrier that transports property or passengers for compensation.
Interstate
Transportation crossing state or national boundaries, or part of a through interstate movement.
Intrastate
Transportation that stays within one state and is not part of an interstate movement.
MCS-150
The motor carrier identification report used to update registration information.
Power Unit
A commercial motor vehicle such as a truck tractor, straight truck, or other powered unit.
Driver Count
The reported number of drivers associated with a carrier record.
Cargo Carried
Reported categories of freight a carrier says it transports.
Hazmat
Hazardous materials transportation category or related registration context.
Out of Service
A status or order indicating a carrier, vehicle, or driver may not operate under specified conditions.
SAFER
FMCSA's Safety and Fitness Electronic Records system.
FMCSA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
DOT
The U.S. Department of Transportation or a related transportation department context.
Docket Number
A public authority identifier such as MC, MX, or FF.
Authority Status
A public field describing the status of a company's operating authority.
Operating Status
A public field describing whether an entity appears active, inactive, or otherwise limited.
Entity Type
A category such as carrier, broker, freight forwarder, mixed, or unknown.
Physical Address
The reported physical location for a company record.
Mailing Address
The reported mailing location for a company record.
Process Agent
A designated agent for legal service of process in required jurisdictions.
BOC-3
A filing that designates process agents for certain motor carrier, broker, or forwarder authority.
UCR
Unified Carrier Registration, a registration program involving interstate motor carriers and other entities.
Insurance Filing
Public proof of required insurance, bond, or trust filings tied to certain authorities.
Fleet Size Range
A bucketed estimate derived from reported power-unit counts.