Short answer
A carrier packet is the set of documents a carrier completes before a broker will book it: operating authority (MC and USDOT numbers), a certificate of insurance, a W-9, the signed broker-carrier agreement, payment or factoring details, and contacts. Brokers use it to vet the carrier and set up payment before the first load.
Why the packet matters
The packet is where a broker decides whether a carrier is who it says it is. It also sets the contract terms every future rate confirmation relies on.
Carriers see it from the other side. A complete, current packet gets you set up the same day. A missing insurance certificate or an unsigned agreement means the load goes to someone else.
What's in a carrier packet and what to verify
| Document | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Operating authority | Active for-hire authority in FMCSA records, and the MC and USDOT numbers match the company name and address |
| Certificate of insurance | Auto liability at or above your requirement (FMCSA’s minimum for general freight is $750,000), cargo coverage, your company as certificate holder, confirmed with the insurance agent |
| IRS Form W-9 | Legal name and taxpayer ID match the authority, for year-end tax reporting |
| Broker-carrier agreement | Signed by an officer, with no re-brokering, payment, claims and indemnity terms |
| Payment details | Bank account confirmed by calling a known number, or a notice of assignment if the carrier factors |
| Contacts | Dispatch, after-hours and billing phone and email |
| Equipment and lanes | Trailer types and counts, preferred lanes, hazmat or TWIC capability if relevant |
The rules behind the documents
FMCSA sets minimum auto liability for for-hire carriers of general freight at $750,000. Cargo insurance is not federally required for general freight carriers, according to FMCSA’s insurance filing requirements. Brokers set their own cargo minimums in the agreement.
The W-9 is the IRS form a business uses to give its taxpayer identification number to a payer. See the IRS page on Form W-9.
FMCSA warns that “even insurance certificates can be fraudulent” and recommends confirming phone numbers through its SAFER system. Details are on FMCSA’s broker and carrier fraud page.
Example setup
Example (illustrative): a two-truck reefer carrier emails a packet at 9:00 AM. The broker checks authority, calls the insurance agent listed on the certificate to confirm the policy, and calls the dispatch number on the carrier’s FMCSA registration. The carrier factors, so the broker files the notice of assignment and pays the factor. The carrier is approved by 11:30 AM and booked on a load that afternoon.
Common mistakes
- Trusting a certificate emailed by the carrier. Get it from the agent or confirm it by phone.
- Changing bank details from an email. Payment redirection is a known fraud pattern. Confirm by calling a number you already had.
- Setting up once and never checking again. Authority can be revoked and policies can cancel. Re-check before booking a carrier you haven’t used in a while.
- Letting the packet stand in for vetting. A complete packet shows the paperwork exists. Confirming the truck at pickup belongs to that carrier is a separate check. See double brokering.
How FreightVero handles it
FreightVero keeps carrier records, with CSV import for an existing carrier list, and a compliance status on each one. The Alerted checkpoint won’t let a load advance until the booked carrier’s compliance status is Approved. Today your team records that status after reviewing the packet. Automated packet collection and monitoring through RMIS and MyCarrierPackets are planned, not built. More on carrier management.