Freight Carrier Vetting in New York
New York is home to 122,787 FMCSA-registered motor carriers, the #4 most of any U.S. state. Before you tender a load to one, check its federal record — authority, insurance, safety, and fraud signals — and keep a dated vetting record.
Where New York carriers are based
The cities with the most registered carriers in New York.
- Brooklyn5,822
- Rochester2,771
- Bronx2,605
- Buffalo1,998
- New York1,618
- Staten Island1,384
How to vet a New York carrier before you book
Confirm active operating authority
A New York carrier must hold active FMCSA authority for the freight it hauls. Watch for broker-only authority posing as a carrier — the classic double-brokering setup.
Verify insurance on file
Check that liability and (where relevant) cargo coverage are on file and meet the required minimums — not lapsed or below the requirement.
Read the safety record
Out-of-service rates versus the national average, crash history, and inspections tell you how the carrier actually operates — not just that it's registered.
Screen for fraud signals
A VoIP/burner phone, a mail-drop or residential address, or an identity reused across multiple carriers are classic ghost- and chameleon-carrier tells a single lookup misses.
Check a New York carrier now
Free, no signup — enter any carrier’s MC or DOT number to see its full federal record and get a dated vetting record (PDF).
Just the number works — with or without the MC/DOT prefix, and spaces are fine. Tip: prefix an MC number with “MC” (e.g. MC123456) so it isn't read as a DOT number.
Why vetting is a legal issue now
In Montgomery v. Caribe (U.S. Supreme Court, 2026), the Court held that freight brokers can be sued for negligently selecting a carrier — in New York and nationwide. Documenting that you checked a carrier, and when, builds your defensible vetting record.
Related
Carrier counts are aggregate figures from the public FMCSA Motor Carrier Census, by the carrier’s physical-address state. CarrierClear is an independent service, not affiliated with or endorsed by FMCSA or the U.S. Department of Transportation. This page is general information, not legal advice, and not a certification of any carrier. Verify any specific carrier independently before doing business.