Glossary of Frequently Used Terms

A person or company engaged in the transportation of goods or passengers for compensation. Authorized for hire carriers need to obtain operating authority (MC number) in addition to a USDOT Number.

An individual, partnership, or corporation that receives payment for arranging the transportation of property belonging to others but does not assume responsibility for the property and never takes possession of it.

A broker that arranges the transportation of property (excluding household goods) belonging to others.

Any motor vehicle designed primarily to transport nine or more persons, including the driver.

A driver holding a CDL.

A type of driver's license required to operate large or heavy vehicles. Requires a higher level of knowledge, experience, skills, and physical abilities than that required to drive a non-commercial vehicle. CDL holders are held to a higher standard when operating any type of vehicle on public roads.

A motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property. See 49 CFR 383.5 and 49 CFR 390.5.

Headquarters location of a motor carrier.

Any person who operates any commercial motor vehicle.

An exempt for-hire motor carrier transports exempt (unregulated) property owned by others for compensation. The exempt commodities usually include unprocessed or unmanufactured goods, fruits and vegetables, and other items of little or no value.

A motor carrier declares the number of commercial motor vehicles that the company uses in its U.S. operations.

A motor carrier that transports freight only (not passengers).

An individual, partnership, or corporation that arranges transportation of goods by FMCSA-licensed carriers, issues bills of lading to shippers, and is responsible for the loss of or damage to the goods.

A substance or material which has been determined by the Secretary of Transportation to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce, and which has been so designated.

A motor carrier that transports hazardous material and is subject to the SMS HM threshold business rules.

Permit required for intrastate, interstate, and foreign motor carriers transporting certain types and amounts of hazardous materials. These carriers must maintain a certain level of safety in their operations and certify they have programs in place as required by the Hazardous Materials Regulations and the HM Permit regulations.

A freight forwarder that arranges the transportation of household goods belonging to others.

A motor vehicle designed to be drawn by another motor vehicle and designed to transport hazardous material.

A commercial motor vehicle designed specifically to haul hazardous liquids or gases using a cylinder-shaped, horizontal cargo bay.

A broker that arranges the transportation of household goods belonging to others.

A motor carrier that transports household goods and has active property authority.

A motor carrier that registers as a household good carrier and has active household goods authority.

A motor carrier engaged in transportation of any amount of hazardous material across State lines, including international boundaries; or (2) within one State as part of a through movement that originates or terminates in another State or country.

A motor carrier engaged in transportation of passengers or property across State lines, including international boundaries; or (2) within one State as part of a through movement that originates or terminates in another State or country.

A motor carrier engaged in transportation of passengers or property entirely within one State that is not part of a through movement that originates or terminates in another State or country.

An FMCSA system that is used to apply for authority and that contains licensing and insurance information about authorized for-hire motor carriers, freight forwarders and property brokers.

A passenger vehicle designed or used to transport 15 or fewer passengers, including the driver.

Companies that are required to have interstate Operating Authority must apply for an MC Number, also known as a Docket Number, in addition to a USDOT Number.

Motor Carrier Identification Report (MCS-150) is required to apply for a USDOT number and must be updated at least every two years.

A Mexico-domiciled motor carrier that transports exempt commodities or operates as a private motor carrier. These motor carriers were issued authority to operate trucks throughout the United States prior to 2002.

A Mexico-domiciled motor carrier that has authority to operate its trucks only within the U.S.-Mexico border commercial zones in the United States.

A Mexican-owned motor carrier that is domiciled in the United States; operates in the United States, conducting cross-border transportation of international cargo that originates in or is destined for a foreign country; and is subject to all U.S., State, and local laws pertaining to motor carrier operations and their vehicles.

A Mexico-domiciled motor carrier that has authority to engage in long-haul transportation as a common carrier of property (except household goods and HM) by motor vehicle in interstate or foreign commerce in or beyond the commercial zones of the United States.

A Mexico-domiciled carrier that has been granted Provisional Operating Authority for operations beyond the U.S. commercial zones into the continental U.S.

A Mexico-domiciled carrier that has been granted a Certificate of Registration and has authority for operations limited to the commercial zones along the U.S-Mexico border.

A motor vehicle designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, and typically built on a small truck chassis. A mini-bus has a smaller seating capacity than a motor coach.

A for-hire or private motor carrier. For purposes of this website, all carriers are 'active' with updated registration information within 24 months.

An FMCSA system that contains crash, census, and inspection files created to monitor and develop safety standards for commercial motor vehicles operating in interstate commerce.

A passenger vehicle with an elevated passenger deck over the baggage compartment, usually designed for long distance transportation of passengers, and often equipped with storage racks above the seats.

A motor carrier registered to transport passengers and meets the MAP21 motorcoach definition.

A motor carrier not domiciled in Mexico that applies for a United States Department of Transportation (DOT) identification number in order to initiate operations. A carrier is considered a new entrant for its first 18 months on the road.

A motor carrier's right to operate a commercial motor vehicle to transport goods (property and household goods) or passengers for hire or to receive payment for arranging goods transportation. Companies that participate in interstate transport of passengers, federally regulated commodities, or companies that arrange interstate transport of regulated commodities are required to have Operating Authority. Carriers that transport their own cargo, carriers that exclusively haul exempt commodities, and carriers that operate exclusively within a commercial zone are not required to have Operating Authority.

Includes all non-U.S., non-Mexico, and non-Canadian countries where a motor carrier is domiciled.

A motor carrier registered to transport property and/or passengers and is characterized as one or more of the following: migrant, U.S. mail, Federal government, State government, local government, Indian tribe, other.

A motor carrier that transports passengers and has active passenger authority.

A motor carrier that transports passengers and meets the FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) passenger carrier threshold business rules.

Power units are the number of vehicles a carrier owns, trip-leases, or term-leases.

Provides private interstate transportation of property or passengers in furtherance of a commercial enterprise and is not available to the public at large.

A motor carrier that transports regulated commodities (except household goods) and has active property authority.

A freight forwarder that arranges the transportation of property (excluding household goods) belonging to others.

Process of registering for a USDOT Number with FMCSA.

A CMV used to transport pre-primary, primary, or secondary school students from home to school, from school to home, or to and from school-sponsored events. School bus does not include operations of a for-hire motor carrier.

The regional field organizations delivering FMCSA program services to Agency partners and customers. The FMCSA's State Division offices are organized into four regional Service Centers.

A truck, generally one half the size and capacity of a tractor-trailer. Straight trucks are single cab and body vehicles (as opposed to a tractor-trailer on which the cab can be separated from the trailer).

A motor vehicle designed to be drawn by another motor vehicle.

Any self-propelled commercial motor vehicle except a truck tractor, designed and/or used for the transportation of property.

A self-propelled commercial motor vehicle designed and/or used primarily for drawing other vehicles.

A motor carrier domiciled in the 50 U.S. States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories.

Companies that operate commercial vehicles transporting passengers or hauling cargo in interstate commerce must be registered with the FMCSA and must have a USDOT Number. Also, commercial intrastate hazardous materials carriers who haul types and quantities requiring a safety permit must register for a USDOT Number. The USDOT Number serves as a unique identifier when collecting and monitoring a company's safety information acquired during audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations, and inspections. Apart from federal regulations, some States require their intrastate commercial motor vehicle registrants to obtain a USDOT Number.

A small motor vehicle designed or used to transport 15 or fewer passengers, including the driver.