Carrier MC - With No Trucks? "Aging" An MC#

This is (probably) an extension of a conversation on another thread - regarding "new MC#'s" and the seeming inability to get work from many shippers/brokers due to "date of inception".

Is is POSSIBLE to do a Carrier MC, WITHOUT ANY TRUCKS?

I would suppose, the "Initial Entrant Audit" would be kind of interesting, with no maintenance records or drivers.

I haven't spoken to any of my "insurance advisors", to see if they could even underwrite a "Trucking Liability Policy" for MC# activation - with no trucks/drivers to actually extend coverage to.

In anticipation to getting rolling in January (and still undecided whether I'm leasing on to another carrier, I have a couple of choices at this point - one appears to be a "good fit" for me - the other, perhaps "not so good", but convenient due to geography), I'm getting ready to set up a DBA (under my already existing corp), and do a "Registrant Only" DOT number (which can be "upgraded" later, if/when I decide to set the MC up).

Obviously, the paperwork/compliance burden for a "truck-less carrier", would be pretty simple. Even if I had to do a DQ file on myself, and pre-employment DOT test (and join a testing consortium), it's not really that big of a hassle/expense to do so.

The main/major expense is going to be the insurance.

At any rate - just spitballing here.

This would also (potentially) be a similar scenario to a guy on another thread - asking about getting his own numbers, but continuing to be leased onto his current carrier. Which brings about the question - WHO OWNS THE PLATES? How does it work when a CARRIER leases onto ANOTHER CARRIER (which, technically is more like a "brokerage agreement"), in whose numbers are on the side of the truck, etc.

Rick

 

I would think the biggest cost would be the INSURANCE...

I could (for example) buy an old POS truck (as SHC mentioned) and insure it.

I have a number of broker & direct ship contacts that I could use to get rolling, and use as references.

Just figured to setup the MC and have it as an "option" - just in case I decide to "roll solo" right out of the gate.

Personally, I'd still feel a little better running under an F2F type of setup, while I build my "contact book", learn the lanes, etc.

But, even in that case - I'd still like to get my own #'s setup, so when (if) the time comes to go out on my own - I won't have to start at the bottom of the "no loads for you newbie" pile.

WITH a truck, but leased on - is it possible to run OBTAIN your own authority - naming the company you're leased onto as the "additional certificate holder" on your insurance? What do people that HAVE their own authority do with it, if they decide to lease onto someone else for awhile? Cancel their insurance and let it go inactive? Again - same story, no loads until it's been in a "continuously active state" for awhile.

Rick

 

Wasn't looking to short-cut the "dues paying" part of the equation - everyone has to establish themselves. Just enquiring if there was a way to "head-start" the process.

In the case of leasing onto a carrier with your own authority - how does this (potentially) work with INSURANCE? You still have to maintain full MC insurance, pointing to your MC. Since most carriers that lease on, either "charge back" the trucking liability, or just "build it into" the percentage they keep - would you have to pay (essentially) double insurance - since the carrier has to have THEIR OWN insurance?

Bill - how does this work with your guys, as far as folks that have already had an MC, or had their own MCS-90 filed.

And again - just spitballing ideas in my head, to determine methodology.

Rick