Lesson 2: Motor Carrier Identification

FMCSA Crash Data Collection Resource Home Page

1. USDOT Numbers

2. Motor Carriers

3. Commerce

4. Carrier Identification

5. Identification Process

10. Examples

Motor Carrier:
The business entity, individual, partnership, corporation, or religious organization responsible for the transportation of the goods, property or people. A motor carrier is the legal entity that directs and controls the operation of one or more commercial vehicles. A motor carrier can be a trucking company, a bus company or any entity that uses vehicles for commercial purposes.

Motor carrier companies are either for hire or private.
Motor carriers are either Intrastate or Interstate

For Hire Motor Carrier means:
An entity engaged in the transportation of goods or passengers for direct compensation for that activity. In other words, its business is hauling persons or property. Examples include companies such as Roadway Express and Greyhound Bus Service.

Private Motor Carrier means:
An entity that provides transportation of property or passengers, by commercial motor vehicle, but is not a “for hire” motor carrier. Examples include WalMart delivering products to its stores in vehicles it owns and operates for this purpose or a Marriott hotel providing complimentary airport shuttle bus service for its guests.