Once you get your trucking authority and embark on your trucking journey, it’s crucial to ensure you have various documents readily available. These documents are essential for attracting shipper customers efficiently. This carrier packet needs to have important information about your trucking company to show that your company has the necessary experience, licensing, and services to work with potential customers. This documentation will help the freight broker or the shipping company to confirm you are a reliable and authentic trucking company.
A key strategy for carriers is to be organized with their documentation. This entails maintaining accurate organization of your paperwork and anticipating your customer’s requirements by readily providing documents when needed.
What is a carrier packet?
A carrier packet includes documents that are crucial for establishing and maintaining a reliable business relationship between the carrier and freight customer, this facilitates smooth trucking vendor setup with the customer. The carrier packet acts as a uniform method for brokers and shippers to collect vital details and authenticate carrier credentials before giving the trucking company loads.
Who needs a carrier packet?
- Freight Brokers: Brokers need carrier packets to set up a new trucking company to work with them. They lean on carrier packets to ensure adherence to regulations, authenticate carrier qualifications, and create a dependable network of carriers.
- Carriers: Trucking companies bear the responsibility of ensuring accurate and current information within their carrier packets. These documents provide brokers with a comprehensive insight into the carrier’s capacities, insurance coverage, safety track record, and other pertinent information.
Why Do I Need a Carrier Packet?
Carrier packets provide crucial information to your customers:
- Authority and Licensing: Carriers are required to create copies of their operating permits, licenses, and certifications. These papers serve as proof that carriers possess the requisite legal permissions to legally provide transportation services.
- Insurance documents: Carriers are required to provide evidence of insurance coverage, which includes liability, cargo, and workers’ compensation insurance. These documents serve to reassure brokers and shippers that carriers possess sufficient coverage.
- Trucking Company Information: A carrier packet includes important information such as the company name, address, contact details for different departments, amount of trucks and drivers, permit information such as MC numbers, and services that the company provide
Components of a Carrier Packet
A carrier packet normally includes the following information:
Carrier Info
A page detailing your company’s name, operations details, MC number, USDOT number, and other vital contact information.
MC Number Certificate
The MC Certificate is a certificate that proves that you have the legal right to provide transportation services.
Insurance Certificate
Freight brokers and shippers must be able to confirm that you possess the necessary insurance coverage, which includes meeting the specified minimum for liability insurance and cargo insurance.
W-9 Form
This tax form is to communicate how your trucking company is taxed and provides your EIN number to the customer. This allows the customer to send the trucking company 1099’s at the end of the year.
You can find a blank copy of a form W-9 on the IRS website.
Notice of Assignment
A letter from your factoring company to let your customers know that they will be factoring your invoices.
Create a Business Summary Page
Within your business summary page, you can add important details concerning your trucking company, such as your official business name, physical address, contact information, and permits such as the Motor Carrier (MC) number, USDOT number, TXDOT number, and other state-specific permits.
You can create a business summary page like this on Canva.
Business Website
A website for your business can help enhance your company’s credibility in the eyes of a freight broker and shipper. It’s easy to create your own on websites such as Wix or hire a freelancer on Fiverr.
Why are carrier packets so important?
It’s important to be always ready, organized, and prepared when running your trucking company.
An organized carrier packet can provide a good first impression and enhance credibility for both carriers and freight brokers/shippers. Having your carrier packet ready can also speed up the time it takes to set up with a new customer and ensure to the customer that you are a reliable trucking company.
Staying organized is a crucial skill in the trucking industry. USA Truck Permits helps you stay organized through our permit filing services and our trucking permit compliance services.
If you need a reliable trucking permitting company, call us at 832-787-2111 or submit a contact form on our website today!
