A motor carrier provides transportation of property or passengers for compensation or in furtherance of a commercial enterprise. For-hire carriers transport goods for others, while private carriers move their own freight.
Interstate carriers must obtain operating authority from the FMCSA, maintain minimum financial responsibility, and comply with the federal safety regulations.
Alternative Names:
Trucking Company, For-Hire Carrier
Why it Matters?
Identifying the correct motor carrier is the first substantive question in a trucking case, and it is frequently not obvious. Multiple entities can appear on the paperwork: the entity holding the authority, the equipment owner, the lessor, the broker, and any affiliated companies. The carrier operating under whose authority the trip was made generally bears responsibility, and that determination drives both liability and which policy responds.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify the responsible motor carrier?
What is the difference between a for-hire and a private carrier?
