For-hire motor carriers are required to maintain liability insurance on file with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). When an insurer cancels a policy or a filing lapses, FMCSA may initiate a suspension of the carrier's operating authority. This process creates public records that can be used to identify carriers with potential insurance needs.
How FMCSA Public Records Help
FMCSA publishes carrier registration, operating authority, insurance-filing, and suspension-notice data as public records on data.transportation.gov. These records are available for public review and can be used by insurance agents, brokers, and shippers to check a carrier's authority and insurance-filing status. A carrier that receives a suspension notice typically has a deadline to file valid insurance before their operating authority is suspended or revoked.
While FMCSA public records do not explicitly list future insurance renewal dates, they do show when an insurance filing has been canceled or has lapsed, leading to a potential suspension. This information indicates a carrier's immediate need for new insurance coverage to maintain their operating authority.
TruckMorning Daily Lead Lists
TruckMorning processes FMCSA public records daily to create lead lists for commercial truck insurance agents. These lists highlight carriers that have experienced recent changes, such as new operating authorities, insurance cancellations, or FMCSA insurance-suspension warnings. By monitoring these changes, TruckMorning provides agents with timely information on carriers that may be seeking new insurance policies.
Between 2026-09-28 and 2026-11-03, FMCSA public records showed significant activity:
- Newly approved operating authorities: 6,332
- Insurance cancellations: 2,884
- Newly issued USDOT numbers (new trucking companies): 11,170
- FMCSA insurance-suspension warnings: 8,012
These numbers reflect the dynamic nature of the trucking industry and the ongoing need for insurance services. For example, the 8,012 FMCSA insurance-suspension warnings issued between 2026-09-28 and 2026-11-03 represent carriers that likely need to secure new insurance filings to avoid authority suspension.
Geographic Distribution of Changes
Changes in carrier status, including insurance-related events, are observed across all states. Between 2026-09-28 and 2026-11-03, the states with the highest number of carrier changes included:
- California: 3,538 carriers
- Texas: 3,400 carriers
- Florida: 2,156 carriers
- Illinois: 1,404 carriers
- Pennsylvania: 1,272 carriers
These figures indicate areas with high concentrations of carriers experiencing events that may lead to an insurance need. TruckMorning's daily lists provide detailed information on these carriers, helping agents focus their efforts.
Source: FMCSA public records