DOT Carrier Data

How DOT Carrier Data Works

Last reviewed: October 20, 2026

DOT Carrier Data is a free lookup for USDOT and MC numbers, built for freight brokers, shippers and carriers who want a fast first read on a motor carrier. This page explains exactly where the data comes from, how each risk signal on a carrier page is calculated, how long data is cached and where the tool's limits are. It is not a substitute for the official record: always confirm on FMCSA's SAFER system before you book a load.

1. Data sources

Every carrier page is assembled from two official U.S. Department of Transportation sources, and each page lists the sources it used with the time they were retrieved.

  • FMCSA Company Census File. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration publishes its census of registered motor carriers on the DOT open data portal at data.transportation.gov. We use it for the legal and DBA name, USDOT number, physical address, power units, drivers, carrier operation type, hazmat flag, the date the carrier was added and the most recent MCS-150 filing date. Name and MC number searches also run against this file.
  • FMCSA QCMobile API. FMCSA's QCMobile web service provides live operating status, operating authority (common, contract and broker), out-of-service details, safety rating and BASIC information. When the live check is unavailable, the carrier page says "Live FMCSA check unavailable. Showing census data only." so you know which source you are looking at.

We do not buy data from brokers, scrape private sites or add information from other lookup services. When this site compares itself with other tools, such as on the SAFER alternatives and CarrierOK alternatives pages, those products are described from their own public pages and named in plain text.

2. How the risk signals are calculated

The "Risk Signals" panel turns the raw record into a short, color-coded checklist. The rules are simple and fixed, so you can check them yourself:

  • USDOT Status is green when the record shows the carrier as active, and red when it is inactive or not authorized.
  • Operating Authority lists which of common, contract and broker authority are active. It is green when at least one is active and yellow when none is.
  • Out-of-Service Order is red, with the date, when FMCSA data shows an active out-of-service order. If no order is reported, we show "Unknown (verify on SAFER)" rather than claiming the carrier is clear, because absence in our data is not proof.
  • Safety Rating is green for Satisfactory, yellow for Conditional, red for Unsatisfactory and gray when the carrier is unrated, which is common for small and newer carriers.
  • BASIC Alerts appear in yellow when FMCSA's data lists alerts in any Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category.
  • MCS-150 Filing is marked current when the latest filing date is within the past 2 years and outdated when it is older. FMCSA requires most carriers to update the MCS-150 at least every 24 months, which is why we use that window.
  • Recently Registered is a yellow flag when the carrier was added to the census less than 12 months ago. A new registration is not a problem by itself, but many brokers apply extra checks to new authorities.

These signals are a summary to help you prioritize what to check. They are not a safety score, they do not predict crashes or fraud, and they do not replace your own carrier vetting policy.

3. Caching and freshness

To keep the site fast and to respect FMCSA's services, results are cached for 24 hours per carrier. A change FMCSA makes today may therefore take up to a day to appear here. Each carrier page shows when its data was retrieved. The free JSON API is limited to 60 requests per minute per IP address.

4. Which carrier pages are indexed

Search engines are only invited to index carrier pages for carriers that are active, report at least 1 power unit and have an MCS-150 filed within the past 2 years. Other carrier pages still work for anyone who searches, but they carry a noindex tag so outdated or dormant records do not crowd search results.

5. What we leave out

The census file contains some personal details, such as email addresses, cell phone numbers and company officer names. We do not display those on carrier pages, and the API omits the phone field entirely. If you would like a record reviewed, see our privacy policy.

6. Known limitations

  • Data can be delayed or incomplete, both in FMCSA's own files and because of our 24-hour cache.
  • Name searches depend on how the carrier registered its legal and DBA names, so try the USDOT or MC number when you have it.
  • Insurance filings, inspection details and crash reports are not shown in full. Use SAFER and FMCSA's Licensing and Insurance system for those.

7. Corrections

If a page shows something different from SAFER after the cache has refreshed, please tell us. Write to Cornelia Cove LLC, 418 Broadway, Ste N, Albany, NY 12207, or email hello@corneliacove.com with the USDOT number and what you saw. We cannot change FMCSA's records; if the official record is wrong, the carrier must update it with FMCSA, usually through an MCS-150 update. More about the site is on our about page.