Book a Free 15-Minute Dispatch Call
Pick a weekday time and a Bonafide dispatcher calls you to talk through your truck, your lanes and how we work.
Guide for MC authorities 6 months to 2 years old
What holds back an MC between 6 months and 2 years old?
Usually not the truck. It's broker setups, freight priced below cost, empty miles and paperwork, at the same time as your first insurance renewal and FMCSA safety audit. Here's what a dispatcher takes off your plate.
Broker setups that stall
Some brokers still want 1 or 2 years of authority, and a missing W-9 or out-of-date insurance certificate can stall a setup for days.
What we do: We send complete carrier packets, follow up on setups and focus your freight on brokers that work with your authority age.
Cheap loads off the board
Newer authorities often take whatever is left on the load board, then find out the rate never covered their cost per mile.
What we do: We price each load against your own cost per mile and negotiate before you see it, so you can make sound freight decisions.
Empty miles between loads
A good outbound rate means little if the truck deadheads hundreds of miles to find the next load.
What we do: We plan the reload before you deliver and steer you toward markets with steady outbound freight.
Brokers you can't trust
Slow-paying or unreliable brokers hurt a young carrier's cash flow more than anyone's.
What we do: We check broker credit before booking and keep rate confirmations, BOLs and PODs organized for fewer paperwork delays.
Your safety record and renewal
Your first insurance renewal and the FMCSA New Entrant safety audit both look at how you've run. Rushed, overweight or out-of-hours loads show up there.
What we do: We only offer loads that fit your hours of service and legal weight. Compliance stays yours; we don't push you past it.
Adding a second truck
One truck can live on the load board. Two or three need steady lanes, or one sits.
What we do: We dispatch owner-operators and small fleets of 2 to 15 trucks, with lanes planned for each truck.
What changes as your authority ages
Broker requirements differ, but these are the milestones most carriers hit between 6 months and 2 years, and what we focus on at each one.
6 to 12 months
More brokers open up, though many still ask for 1 year. FMCSA's New Entrant safety audit usually happens in this window, and if your policy is annual, your first insurance renewal arrives at 12 months.
Our focus: Broker setups, steady lanes and clean load paperwork.
12 to 18 months
Brokers with a 1-year minimum can now set you up. You're still in the 18-month New Entrant monitoring period.
Our focus: Repeat freight with brokers who pay on time, and better rates on lanes you already know.
18 months to 2 years
The New Entrant period ends once you've passed the safety audit, and brokers with a 2-year minimum open up as you reach 24 months.
Our focus: Building repeat broker relationships and planning lanes for an added truck.
How it works after the call
- 1
Book a 15-minute call
Pick a weekday time above. A dispatcher calls you and talks through your truck, lanes, home time and authority age.
- 2
Send your documents
If you decide to go ahead, send your carrier documents. We can typically start broker setups and booking within 24 to 48 hours.
- 3
You approve every load
We find and negotiate freight that fits your operation and check the broker. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
What to have ready
None of it is required to book. It just makes the call more useful.
- MC and USDOT numbers
- Certificate of insurance
- W-9
- Factoring notice of assignment, if you factor
- Trailer type, length and max payload
- Lanes you want and your home-time schedule
Questions about the dispatch call
Can a dispatcher work with an MC authority that is only 6 months old?
Yes. At 6 months many brokers that turned you away at 30 or 90 days will set you up, though some still want 1 year or more. On the free call we look at your equipment and lanes and tell you which brokers to focus on at your authority age.
Why do brokers turn down MC authorities under 1 or 2 years old?
Brokers carry the risk if a load goes wrong, so many use authority age as a quick filter alongside insurance, safety record and inspection history. Cutoffs differ by broker; 90 days, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years are all common. A complete carrier packet and a clean record get you through more setups.
What is the FMCSA New Entrant period, and does dispatch affect it?
New motor carriers are monitored in FMCSA's New Entrant Safety Assurance Program for their first 18 months, with a safety audit usually inside the first 12. The audit reviews records such as driver qualification, hours of service, drug and alcohol testing, maintenance and insurance. Bonafide does not run your compliance program, but we plan loads within your hours and legal weight and keep your load paperwork organized.
Is the dispatch consultation really free?
Yes. It is a free 15-minute phone call with no obligation. If you decide to dispatch with us afterwards, there are no contracts and no setup fees.
How does Bonafide charge for dispatch?
6–10% of gross, quoted on your free consultation. No setup fees. You pay only on loads we book.
Do I have to take every load you find?
No. There is no forced dispatch. We find and negotiate freight that fits your operation, check the broker's credit, and you approve the load before anything is booked.
What should I have ready for the call?
Your MC and USDOT numbers, your certificate of insurance, a W-9, your factoring company's notice of assignment if you factor, your trailer specs, and the lanes and home time you want. None of it is required to book; it just makes the call more useful.
How soon can dispatching start after the call?
Once you decide to move forward and send your carrier documents, we can typically have broker setups going and start booking freight within 24 to 48 hours.
Do you dispatch small fleets as well as owner-operators?
Yes. We work with owner-operators and small fleets of 2 to 15 trucks. Many carriers book this call when they are adding a second or third truck and need steady lanes for each one.
Talk through your lanes in 15 minutes
Free, by phone, Monday–Friday. No contracts.