---
title: Where Does the Data Come From?
description: "Table of contents - [What is the FMCSA?](#0-toc-title) - [The Motor Carrier Census Dataset](#1-toc-title) - [What Carriers Are Required to Submit](#2-toc-title) - [What Fields Show Up in DOT Lead Scout](#3-toc-title) - [Verifying Against the Source](#4-toc-title) - [What FMCSA Does Not…"
url: "https://dotleadscout.com/docs/where-does-the-data-come-from/"
updated: "2026-04-29"
category: Understanding the Data
---

# Where Does the Data Come From?

Table of contents

- [What is the FMCSA?](#0-toc-title)
- [The Motor Carrier Census Dataset](#1-toc-title)
- [What Carriers Are Required to Submit](#2-toc-title)
- [What Fields Show Up in DOT Lead Scout](#3-toc-title)
- [Verifying Against the Source](#4-toc-title)
- [What FMCSA Does Not Track](#5-toc-title)

All Plans

Every carrier in DOT Lead Scout comes from a single source: the **FMCSA Motor Carrier Census** — the official federal registry of every commercial motor carrier operating in the United States. It's public data, updated constantly, and we sync the whole thing on your behalf.

## What is the FMCSA?

   The **Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration** (FMCSA) is the U.S. Department of Transportation agency that regulates commercial truck and bus operations. Every carrier that crosses state lines (and many intrastate carriers too) must register with FMCSA, get a USDOT number, and file regular updates about their fleet, drivers, and safety record.

##### Public data, by design

Carrier registry data is public information — it has to be, so shippers, brokers, and insurers can verify that a carrier is legitimate before doing business. DOT Lead Scout doesn't buy this data from a private broker; we pull it directly from the federal source.

## The Motor Carrier Census Dataset

   We sync from the **Motor Carrier Census** — FMCSA's primary registry — via the Department of Transportation's open data portal at `data.transportation.gov`. As of today, the dataset contains:

##### ~3 Million Carriers

Every carrier ever registered — active, inactive, and out-of-service. DOT Lead Scout filters down to active carriers by default.

##### ~99 Data Fields

Per carrier — from legal name and DOT number to fleet size, safety rating, MCS-150 dates, and authority status.

##### All 50 States

Plus territories. Every USDOT-registered carrier regardless of base location.

## What Carriers Are Required to Submit

   FMCSA registration creates an obligation to keep certain information current. The most important filings are:

| Filing | When Required | What it captures |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USDOT Registration | Once at startup | Legal name, DBA, physical address, mailing address, operating authority, business type. |
| MCS-150 Update | Every 2 years | Fleet size, driver count, mileage, contact info. See **9.4** for the full picture. |
| Safety Rating Update | After audit | Satisfactory / Conditional / Unsatisfactory rating from FMCSA compliance reviews. See **9.3**. |
| Operating Authority Changes | On change | Activations, deactivations, revocations, reinstatements. See **9.2**. |
| MCS-151 (HM) | Annually for HazMat | Hazardous materials carriers file additional details about cargo and routes. |

## What Fields Show Up in DOT Lead Scout

   Out of the ~99 fields on each FMCSA carrier record, the ones you'll see most in the lead detail panel are:

| Category | Fields |
| --- | --- |
| **Identity** | DOT number, legal name, DBA name, address, mailing address |
| **Contact** | Phone, cell phone, fax, email, company officers (1 & 2) |
| **Fleet** | Power units, truck units, bus units, total drivers, CDL drivers, fleet size class |
| **Operations** | Carrier operation type, interstate/intrastate split, HAZMAT indicator, passenger indicator, cargo classifications |
| **Compliance** | Operating authority status, safety rating, safety rating date, MCS-150 date, MCS-IP step (under compliance review), prior revocation flag |
| **Vehicle counts** | Owned vs. termed (rented) trucks, tractors, trailers |

## Verifying Against the Source

   If you ever want to verify what DOT Lead Scout shows for a carrier, you can look up the raw FMCSA record on **SAFER** — FMCSA's public Company Snapshot tool. Each carrier in your pipeline has a SAFER lookup link in the lead detail panel.

##### When DOT Lead Scout and SAFER differ

Sync runs at midnight, so SAFER might show a change a few hours before DOT Lead Scout picks it up. If the gap is larger than a day, contact **info@dotleadscout.com** — we'll investigate.

## What FMCSA Does Not Track

   Useful to know up front: the FMCSA registry is about regulated trucking operations — not a full business directory. Things you *won't* find directly in the data:

- **Revenue or financials** — FMCSA doesn't collect business financial data
- **Owner's personal details** — only the listed company officer name(s)
- **Insurance policy details** — tracked in a separate FMCSA L & I database
- **Driver-level data** — only counts and totals, not individual driver records
- **Equipment maintenance history** — tracked through state inspections, not the registry