Trucking and regulatory
MC number
An MC number is a form of FMCSA operating authority. It is required, along with a USDOT number, for many for-hire interstate carriers. It is also called a docket number. FMCSA also uses FF and MX numbers for other authority types.
Why it matters
An MC number permits a company to do a type of for-hire interstate trucking. A portable storage operator that hauls only its own containers is generally a private carrier and may not need one. A company that hauls for others for pay, or hauls regulated goods, usually does. Operating authority also sets insurance duties. A common mistake is to think the MC number and DOT number are the same. They are not. Another is to assume one authority covers all operations. FMCSA says a company may need more than one. Check the FMCSA page for your case, and ask a compliance professional if you are unsure.
Read: Safety and compliance for container delivery: DOT, FMCSA, CDL and OSHA
Definition source: fmcsa.dot.gov
Related terms
USDOT number
A USDOT number is the unique identifier that FMCSA gives to a company that operates commercial vehicles. It is used to collect and monitor a company's safety information from audits, reviews, crash investigations and inspections. Federal rules decide who must register.
DOT number
A DOT number is an identifier assigned to a company that operates commercial vehicles. Most people mean the USDOT number issued by FMCSA. It tracks a carrier's safety record from audits, inspections and crash reports. Rules differ by state for in-state carriers.
FMCSA
FMCSA is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. It writes and enforces safety rules for commercial motor vehicles and carriers, and it handles registration for interstate carriers. Its rules are in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
interstate commerce
Interstate commerce is trade, traffic or transportation in the United States between a place in a state and a place outside that state. It also covers trips between two places in one state that pass through another state. FMCSA uses this definition to decide which federal motor carrier rules apply.
commercial auto insurance
Commercial auto insurance covers motor vehicles that a business owns or uses. NAIC defines it as coverage that protects the insured against financial loss from legal liability for motor vehicle injuries or damage to others' property caused by accidents tied to ownership, maintenance, use or care of a vehicle.
master lease
A master lease is a framework lease between a container owner and a lessee. Triton says its master lease suits companies that scale a fleet up or down with demand and need flexibility to pick up and drop off units. Exact terms differ by lessor, so each contract needs a careful read.
For the industry
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