Tips

Getting the right truck insurance for your business can feel like a monumental task. Maybe you’re not quite sure where to start. This section of our blog has articles that feature tips for buying truck insurance and tips for understanding various coverages. Insurance might seem overly complicated and impossible, but we strive to make insurance as easy as possible. That’s why these articles break down various topics into easy-to-understand tips and explanations.

The “Tips” section also includes articles that focus on ways to improve safety at your business. Though you face many risks as a trucking business, there are things you can do to minimize those risks and lessen the chance of something bad happening. The articles take various topics and create manageable steps that you can follow to boost safety at your business. The safer your business is, the fewer claims you may have. And that can help your insurance rates.

So, take some time to check out the topics that appeal to you.

How can I change from one type of truck operating authority to another?

It's important to make sure you have the right truck operating authority.

If you find that you need to choose a truck operating authority after being exempt in the past, or you need to change from one type of operating authority to another, you can do so using the process outlined below. A thorough understanding of how operating authorities work and what they require can help you save time and money during the process. Since your truck operating authority could impact the insurance you are required to carry, choosing the right model for your business is essential if you want to ensure you are getting the best possible rates on your insurance.

Read moreHow can I change from one type of truck operating authority to another?

How to get an MC Number/Operating Authority

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A company that is interested in engaging in certain types of transportation activities must have an MC Number, which is also known as operating authority. Specifically, companies that (a) transport passengers via interstate commerce and that (b) transport federally regulated commodities that are owned by others or coordinate the transportation of those commodities, are required to have operating authority.  That operating authority is important because it determines the type of cargo that a company is permitted to carry and the type of operation that a company is permitted to have. Here are the steps to follow in the process of obtaining an MC Number.

Read moreHow to get an MC Number/Operating Authority

What do I do if I get a warning letter from the FMCSA?

Here's what to do if you get an FMCSA warning letter.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for making sure that commercial trucks and drivers are safe enough to be on America’s highways. To protect the public, the FMCSA completes regular inspections of equipment, driver log books, records of violations, and more. If your business is found to have a violation, the FMCSA will then notify the motor carrier of violations by mail in the form of a warning letter.

Read moreWhat do I do if I get a warning letter from the FMCSA?

What hazardous materials require a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforces a program known as Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSP). The purpose is to increase safety for the driving public and commercial truck drivers. The FMCSA maintains a database outlining the types of materials that require truckers to obtain a permit before they can transport them. We include this information below.

Read moreWhat hazardous materials require a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit?

Do motor carriers need to report drug and alcohol test results to FMCSA every year?

When do motor carriers have to report drug and alcohol results to the FMCSA?

No trucking company owner likes to think that drivers will fail a random drug or alcohol screening or cause an accident due to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a program of the federal government tasked with creating and maintaining regulations for commercial vehicles to keep America’s roads safe, has a vested interest in obtaining information about drug and alcohol test results. If you own a trucking company or operate under your own authority, you must be prepared to provide testing or accident records to the FMCSA upon request.

Read moreDo motor carriers need to report drug and alcohol test results to FMCSA every year?

What is the Unified Registration System?

Find out what the Unified Registration System (URS) is.

The Unified Registration System (URS) was created to simplify and streamline the registration process required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This online process is designed to integrate several different registration procedures to make registering a commercial vehicle more efficient. The URS works as a portal for registration and a database on all regulated organizations and entities, including fleets, motor carriers, intermodal equipment providers (IEPs), and related businesses.

Read moreWhat is the Unified Registration System?

What is a trucking company’s CSP (Company Safety Profile)?

A CSP contains crash information about a motor carrier.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the federal Department of Transportation (DOT), retains safety information for every commercial carrier that drives on public roads. It also keeps a safety record for every trucking company or independent owner-operator. Although it stores several types of documents, the Company Safety Profile (CSP) is by far the most comprehensive.

Read moreWhat is a trucking company’s CSP (Company Safety Profile)?

What is the difference between interstate and intrastate commerce?

There's a difference between interstate and intrastate commerce.

Interstate commerce and intrastate commerce refer to two different ways of transporting cargo or people. The term interstate means that the commercial truck driver moves cargo or people across state lines. Specifically, it includes the following definitions:

  • Between a place inside of a state and a place outside of a state, including outside of the country
  • Between two destinations inside of a state going through another state or outside of the country
  • Between two places within a state as part of transportation, traffic, or trade that originates or terminates outside of the state or outside of the United States

Read moreWhat is the difference between interstate and intrastate commerce?

What are the different types of commercial driver’s licenses?

It's important to have the right commercial driver's license.

The ongoing trucker shortage has led companies of all sizes to actively recruit and hire new drivers – at attractive and appealing rates. In order to secure one of those jobs, though, you need to get your commercial driver’s license, or CDL. Learning more about the different types of commercial drivers licenses makes it easy to determine your training path and make the most effective and efficient decisions for your career.

Read moreWhat are the different types of commercial driver’s licenses?

What’s the difference: Actual cash value vs. stated limit for trucks

There's a difference between actual cash value insurance and stated limit insurance.

You’ve done everything right – your drivers are experienced, careful and well-trained, your trucks are well-maintained and up-to-date and everyone is complying with regulatory laws – but you still had an accident. It happens to everyone eventually, and it’s why you have commercial coverage for your fleet of trucks and vans anyway. Learning more about the insurance process can help you get through the aftermath of an accident and move forward.

Read moreWhat’s the difference: Actual cash value vs. stated limit for trucks