New carrier leads for compliance, testing and ELD services
By Jake Marsh · Reviewed · Numbers are Rookiefeed analysis as of , updated daily · How the list is built
A first-time carrier's new entrant clock starts with its authority: 18 months of monitoring and a safety audit within 12 months of beginning operations. Rookiefeed sends every carrier FMCSA granted authority the day before, about 208 per business day, flagged first-time or returning, with the owner's name, phone and email, by 7am Central.
4,959 first-time carriers got authority in the last 30 days. Every one in your state by 7am each morning for $149/month, or in a Monday email for $59.
- new carriers per business day
- 208new carriers per business day
- come with an email address
- 99.7%come with an email address
- have a number flagged as a cell
- 31%have a number flagged as a cell
- are first-time authorities
- 97%are first-time authorities
- median wait from application to active authority
- 23 daysmedian wait from application to active authority
As of . 5,123 carriers granted authority from October 17, 2026 to November 15, 2026. Recomputed every morning. Source: Rookiefeed analysis. How these numbers are made
Who this is for
- Drug and alcohol testing consortia that enroll owner-operators.
- ELD vendors and resellers selling to one- and two-truck carriers.
- Process agents, and UCR, IFTA and permit filing services.
- Safety consultants who prepare carriers for the new entrant audit.
What's on each row
The columns compliance sellers use most. Every row has the full set; this is an example of the shape, not a real carrier.
| Column | Example | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| first_time_authority | yes | First-time carriers are the ones starting the new entrant period from scratch. Returning ones have usually been through an audit. |
| usdot_number, mc_number | USDOT and MC | Look the carrier up before you call, and quote it back so they know you checked. |
| power_units, drivers | 1 truck, 1 driver | Size a consortium or ELD quote before the call. One-truck owners do their own paperwork and are the usual buyer of a done-for-you service. |
| officer_1, phone, cell, email | Owner name, phone (cells flagged), email | Reach the owner by name. Email first if your consent rules for cells aren't settled. |
| state, city | Where they're based | Keep to the states you serve. |
Which service fits which new carrier
The rules behind each pitch, so the first message is about something the carrier can check. Rule text is linked under Sources.
| Service | Who on the list | Why the first weeks | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug and alcohol consortium | Carriers with CDL drivers, including owner-operators who drive | A driver needs a verified negative pre-employment drug test and a Clearinghouse query before the first safety-sensitive work. An owner who is the only driver still has to be in a random pool with at least two covered drivers, which in practice means a consortium. | 49 CFR 382.103, 382.301, 382.701 |
| ELD | Interstate carriers | Carriers must provide ELDs to record duty status unless an exception applies, such as logging no more than 8 days in any 30, or a truck older than model year 2000. | 49 CFR 395.8 |
| New entrant audit prep | First-time authorities | FMCSA audits new carriers within 12 months of beginning operations, and having no drug and alcohol testing program is an automatic failure. | 49 CFR 385.307, 385.321 |
| BOC-3 and filing services | New applications (an option on the list), not grants | A granted carrier already has its BOC-3 and insurance on file, because authority can't go active without them. Carriers still waiting can be the right audience. | 49 CFR 366 |
The numbers this month
In the 30 days to November 15, 2026, FMCSA granted 5,123 new for-hire carrier authorities. 4,959 (97%) were first-time, 65% started with one truck, and 99.7% had an email on file. Counts for your territory are on each state page.
From the 7am email to the first call: 5 steps
- Open the CSV attached to the 7am email (or import it: CSV into your CRM).
- Filter first_time_authority to yes, and drivers to 1 or more for drug and alcohol programs.
- Check the operation column: interstate carriers are the ELD audience.
- Reach out within 48 hours of the grant, by hand or by email. Cells are flagged because autodialed calls and texts to them need prior written consent.
- Log the contact in your CRM against the USDOT number, so the carrier isn't contacted twice by your team.
Which plan fits
- A local or regional service: the State plan, $149/month for one state every morning, or Weekly, $59/month for one state every Monday.
- Several states: Regional, $299/month for up to 8 states you pick.
- A national consortium or ELD vendor: Nationwide, $599/month for every state.
- Turn on "First-time authorities only" in the dashboard so the 7am email holds only carriers starting their new entrant period.
- Put your own reach, close rate and client value into the lead value calculator to see the plan cost per signed client.
How to use it well
New carriers get many official-looking letters and calls about filings, so lead with something they can check, like their own audit window, and make it easy to verify who you are. The guide for compliance services covers what to lead with and how to work the list, and drug testing consortium leads covers the testing pitch.
Calling and texting cell phones carries TCPA and Do Not Call duties. See calling new carriers under the TCPA and DNC rules.
Questions
- Can I get only first-time carriers?
- Yes. Every row has a first-time flag, and the dashboard filter sends only first-time authorities in the daily email, so carriers that held authority before stay out.
- Does an owner-operator who drives alone need a drug testing program?
- Yes, if the owner drives a vehicle that needs a CDL. Part 382 treats a self-employed driver as both employer and driver, and an employer who is the only driver must be in a random testing pool with at least two covered drivers.
- When does a new carrier's safety audit happen?
- FMCSA monitors new carriers for 18 months and conducts the new entrant safety audit within 12 months after the carrier begins operations.
- Do you include carriers that have applied but aren't granted yet?
- Yes, as an option. Switch on new applications in the dashboard to see carriers before their authority goes active. The default is granted authorities only.
- Can I call these carriers?
- Manual calls and compliant cold email are fine for most services. Autodialed or prerecorded calls and texts to cell numbers need prior express written consent under the TCPA; cells are flagged for that reason.
Every new carrier, by 7am
Owner name, phone, email, fleet, equipment and insurer for each carrier FMCSA authorized yesterday, as a CSV.
Related
Sources: 49 CFR 382.103 (who Part 382 covers) · 49 CFR 382.301 (pre-employment testing) · 49 CFR 382.701 (Clearinghouse queries) · 49 CFR 395.8 (ELDs) · FMCSA: New Entrant Safety Assurance Program