New Authority? Your First 90 Days

7 min read · Free guide from Southeast Freight Dispatch

Your MC is active. Now comes the part nobody warns you about: the first 90 days are the most expensive and most dangerous of your career. Brokers don't trust new authorities, insurance is brutal, and every mistake costs double. Here's the checklist.

Days 1–30: get legal and insured

• BOC-3 filed (process agents in every state) — required before your authority goes active.
• Insurance: $1M auto liability + $100K cargo minimum. New authority = high premiums; shop 3+ agents.
• UCR registration, IRP apportioned plates, IFTA license + decals.
• Drug & alcohol consortium enrollment + Clearinghouse queries — required before you drive.
• Set up your factoring now, not when you're broke in week 6.

Days 31–60: run smart, not hard

• Most brokers want 90 days to 6 months of authority history. Start with the ones that take new MCs: Amazon Relay, J.B. Hunt 360, Uber Freight, Coyote.
• Run shorter, higher-rate lanes while you build a track record — don't chase cheap long hauls.
• Document everything: clean BOLs, on-time deliveries, zero claims. Your first 50 loads ARE your resume.

Days 61–90: build the machine

• Ask your best brokers for repeat lanes — consistency beats spot-market gambling.
• File your first IFTA quarter (don't learn this the hard way).
• Review your cost per mile with real data — adjust your floor rate.

What kills new authorities

Taking cheap freight to "stay moving" (you're buying the broker a discount), ignoring paperwork until audit time, and signing a bad factoring contract in desperation. Patience in month one pays for all of year one.

Shortcut

Our $1,500 authority setup handles the filings maze, and our dispatch gets new authorities loaded with brokers that actually take new MCs. You drive; we handle the rest.

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