Research

New trucking companies by month

How many USDOT numbers FMCSA issues each month, how many belong to for-hire carriers and brokers, and where the new companies are based.

Figures as of Oct 29, 2026 · Refreshed with each daily import · Research by Emmanuel Badu, Managing Director

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New USDOT numbers by month

New USDOT numbers by month

Oct 2024 to Oct 2026
Oct 2024Oct 2026 so far

Counts records still in the census, by the date FMCSA added them. Carriers based in the 50 states.

The last 13 months

New USDOT numbers
MonthAllFor-hire carriersPrivate carriersBrokersOther
Oct 2026 so far9,7067,0482,29631250
Sep 202614,74011,0153,23340587
Aug 202615,20511,3323,355409109
Jul 202616,01612,0243,524366102
Jun 202617,02111,9634,58837793
May 202616,69711,5904,569408130
Apr 202616,52711,6424,278473134
Mar 202617,16012,1374,410488125
Feb 202614,35810,3733,508363114
Jan 202614,58510,4723,585428100
Dec 202511,4288,0152,93738789
Nov 202511,0307,7712,88030970
Oct 202513,7209,6983,533388101

For-hire carriers register to haul other companies’ freight or passengers. Private carriers haul their own. Other covers shippers, freight forwarders and registrants.

New operating authority granted

A USDOT number registers a company. Operating authority lets it haul or arrange freight for hire across state lines, and FMCSA grants it after the insurance and process agent filings are in place.

Authority granted by month

Carriers and brokers
MonthCompanies granted authorityMotor carriersBrokersApplications opened
Oct 2026 so far6,2165,8493557,383
Sep 20264,9844,70227410,380
Aug 20265,5785,2413309,858
Jul 20262,9892,8071739,678

From FMCSA’s authority history, which is complete from July 2026. A company granted two authorities in a month counts once.

New trucking companies by state

Texas registered the most new USDOT numbers in the 12 months to September 2026 (21,384), ahead of California (19,153) and Florida (15,190). Each state page lists its newest registrations.

New USDOT numbers, 12 months to Sep 2026

AK283ME632WI3.4kVT178NH629WA3.2kID1.1kMT632ND501MN4.2kIL6.2kMI4.1kNY8.2kMA3.2kOR1.7kNV1.3kWY571SD477IA1.5kIN3.8kOH6.1kPA7.9kNJ6.1kCT2.0kRI472CA19kUT1.6kCO3.3kNE1.5kMO2.7kKY2.5kWV742VA3.2kMD3.5kDE592AZ3.1kNM844KS1.2kAR1.1kTN2.9kNC5.9kSC2.9kOK2.1kLA1.5kMS1.5kAL2.4kGA8.9kHI518TX21kFL15k
FewerMore new USDOT numbers

Every state

By the state on the registration
StateSep 202612 monthsOn the 12 months beforePer 1,000 active records
Alabama2022,412down 3%68
Alaska24283up 9%43
Arizona2763,104up 14%97
Arkansas851,088up 1%98
California1,58019,153up 4%58
Colorado2453,321up 1%66
Connecticut2012,021up 7%93
Delaware48592down 11%117
Florida1,24815,190level97
Georgia6838,950up 4%83
Hawaii44518down 22%94
Idaho781,087up 3%78
Illinois5436,166up 15%110
Indiana2883,761up 4%80
Iowa1121,511up 6%56
Kansas841,178up 8%62
Kentucky1892,458up 7%57
Louisiana1181,460up 10%117
Maine45632up 10%44
Maryland2933,541down 1%80
Massachusetts2733,237up 8%81
Michigan3214,058up 17%52
Minnesota3724,210up 9%55
Mississippi1261,496up 5%118
Missouri2002,686up 11%100
Montana45632up 12%70
Nebraska1281,459up 16%50
Nevada981,324up 9%125
New Hampshire53629up 16%102
New Jersey4916,132up 6%123
New Mexico73844level74
New York6358,178up 7%63
North Carolina4755,900level109
North Dakota36501up 10%76
Ohio5366,140up 9%118
Oklahoma1542,125up 13%77
Oregon1381,686up 9%58
Pennsylvania6877,891up 13%96
Rhode Island39472up 3%110
South Carolina2252,891up 2%115
South Dakota36477up 28%74
Tennessee2502,932up 5%113
Texas1,88321,384up 6%110
Utah1231,569up 2%65
Vermont19178up 8%75
Virginia2693,151up 8%124
Washington2903,214up 3%63
West Virginia66742level66
Wisconsin2633,352up 5%51
Wyoming50571up 30%83

Questions

How many new trucking companies start each month?

FMCSA added 14,740 USDOT numbers in September 2026 for companies based in the 50 states, 11,015 of them for-hire carriers. Over the last 12 full months the average is 14,874 a month.

Is a new USDOT number the same as operating authority?

A USDOT number identifies a company to FMCSA. A carrier that hauls freight for hire across state lines also needs operating authority, which FMCSA grants once the insurance and process agent filings are on file. See operating authority explained.

Which state registers the most new trucking companies?

Texas, with 21,384 new USDOT numbers in the 12 months to September 2026.

How do I check a newly registered carrier?

Look it up by USDOT number to see its registration date, authority and insurance filings. The DOT number lookup is free.

More research

Authority suspensions and revocations by monthCarriers losing operating authority, and why.Truck insurance cancellations by monthLiability, cargo and broker bond filings that ended.Freight carrier statisticsNational figures on authority, insurance, safety and contact details.

Cite as: CarrierTrail, “New trucking companies by month”, carriertrail.com/research/new-trucking-companies, figures as of Oct 29, 2026. Source files and definitions: data sources and methodology.