A carrier packet, also called a carrier setup packet or onboarding packet, is the set of documents a freight broker collects from a trucking company before giving it a first load. It proves the carrier is legally allowed to haul freight, is insured, and can be paid, and it sets the terms the two companies work under.
Collecting the packet is the easy part. Checking it is what protects you.
What is in a carrier packet?
Document | What it is for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
Broker-carrier agreement | The contract covering every load between you | Signed by someone with authority; includes a clause that the carrier will not re-broker the load |
Operating authority | Proof of the carrier's MC and USDOT numbers | Authority is active in FMCSA records, and for how long |
Certificate of insurance | Proof of auto liability and cargo cover | Sent directly by the agent, names you as certificate holder, limits meet your requirement, dates are current |
W-9 | Tax details for payment | Legal name and tax ID match the authority and the insurance |
Carrier profile | Contacts, equipment, lanes, dispatch phone and email | Phone and email match what FMCSA has on file |
Payment details | Bank or factoring information | A notice of assignment if the carrier factors its invoices; confirm any change by phone |
Safety information | Safety rating and inspection history | Out-of-service rates and any conditional or unsatisfactory rating |
Some brokers also ask for references, a list of drivers and trucks, or a signed copy of their accessorial rules.
Carrier packet checklist
Copy this and use it for every new carrier:
Signed broker-carrier agreement on file.
MC and USDOT numbers checked in FMCSA records; authority active.
Authority age noted. New authority is not a reason to refuse, but it is a reason to check harder.
Insurance certificate received from the insurance agent, not forwarded by the carrier.
Liability and cargo limits meet your minimums, and the policy covers the commodity you are shipping.
W-9 name and tax ID match the authority.
Contact phone and email match FMCSA records. If they do not, call the number on file.
Payment details recorded; factoring notice of assignment on file if there is one.
Safety record reviewed.
Carrier approved in your system by a named person, with the date.
How to check the documents
Authority. Look the carrier up in the FMCSA's public records by MC or USDOT number. Confirm the authority is active, the company name and address match the packet, and insurance is on file.
Insurance. Ask the carrier's insurance agent to send the certificate to you directly. A certificate that arrives only as an attachment from the carrier can be edited. Check the dates, the limits and the exclusions.
Identity. This is where most fraud is caught. Compare the phone number and email address on the packet with what FMCSA has on file. A recently changed contact, a free email address on an established carrier, or pressure to book quickly are all warning signs. See what double brokering is and how to prevent it and our questions to ask about carrier fraud.
Payment. Be careful with any request to change bank details or a factoring company after setup. Confirm it by calling a number you already hold.
Keep it current
A packet is not a one-time job. Insurance expires, authority can be revoked, and contact details change.
Track insurance expiry dates and ask for a new certificate before they pass.
Recheck authority before each load, not only at setup.
Review carriers that have not hauled for you in months as if they were new.
Paper packets vs digital onboarding
Many brokers still email a PDF packet and wait for it to come back signed. It works, but it is slow, and nothing is checked automatically.
Digital onboarding has the carrier complete the same steps online. Authority and insurance are checked against live data, the agreement is signed electronically, and the result is stored against the carrier's record. The broker's team reviews and approves.
Whichever way you collect it, the packet should end up in the same system as your loads, so that nobody can book a carrier whose insurance has lapsed. Our page on carrier vetting and onboarding software covers what to look for.
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