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Where Does the Data Come From?

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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:
FilingWhen RequiredWhat it captures
USDOT RegistrationOnce at startupLegal name, DBA, physical address, mailing address, operating authority, business type.
MCS-150 UpdateEvery 2 yearsFleet size, driver count, mileage, contact info. See 9.4 for the full picture.
Safety Rating UpdateAfter auditSatisfactory / Conditional / Unsatisfactory rating from FMCSA compliance reviews. See 9.3.
Operating Authority ChangesOn changeActivations, deactivations, revocations, reinstatements. See 9.2.
MCS-151 (HM)Annually for HazMatHazardous 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:
CategoryFields
IdentityDOT number, legal name, DBA name, address, mailing address
ContactPhone, cell phone, fax, email, company officers (1 & 2)
FleetPower units, truck units, bus units, total drivers, CDL drivers, fleet size class
OperationsCarrier operation type, interstate/intrastate split, HAZMAT indicator, passenger indicator, cargo classifications
ComplianceOperating authority status, safety rating, safety rating date, MCS-150 date, MCS-IP step (under compliance review), prior revocation flag
Vehicle countsOwned 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
Updated on April 29, 2026
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