Benefits of Being an Approved Carrier

  • Speedy Dispatch
  • Repetitive Freight
  • Familiarity of System
  • Timely Settlement Payments

Guidelines for Carrier Approval

Prior to sending out a carrier packet, please verify that they meet the safety requirements detailed below.

**Carriers must have active Authority for a minimum of six consecutive months in order to qualify with Universal Truckload, Inc. If a carrier has five or more owned and insured trucks, they may be approved with a three month active Authority. **

The FMCSA rating system for carriers still applies: None, Satisfactory, Conditional, and Unsatisfactory. Satisfactory means that records indicate no evidence of substantial non-compliance with safety requirements. Conditional means that records indicate the carrier was out of compliance with one or more safety requirements. Unsatisfactory means that records indicate evidence of substantial non-compliance with safety requirements. If the rating is listed as None, the carrier will be graded by their BASIC CSA scores as defined below.

  • Satisfactory – Carrier can be used regardless of scores.
  • Unsatisfactory – Carrier is denied.
  • Conditional – Carrier is denied.
  • None – Carrier is graded on BASIC CSA scores to determine whether they can be used.

 

Evaluation of non-rated carriers falls into five categories: Unsafe Driving, Hours of Service, Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances and Alcohol, and Vehicle maintenance. The bullet points below indicate the percentage scores that a carrier can NOT exceed in order to be qualified. Exceptions are possible on a case by case basis if the carrier is able to demonstrate they have an acceptable safety action plan in place.

  • Unsafe Driving – 75% maximum score
  • Hours of Service – 75% maximum score

 

Grading for these categories follows the outlined rules:

  • Carrier cannot have any score over 85%
  • Carrier cannot have TWO scores over 75%
  • Carrier can have ONE score below 75% and ONE score between 75-85% but would need to complete the safety questionnaire in full and with acceptable responses detailing their safety plan.
  • Driver Fitness – 90% maximum score
  • Controlled Substances and Alcohol – 90% maximum score
  • Vehicle Maintenance – 90% maximum score
  • Crash Indicator – Not Public
  • Haz Mat Compliance – Not Public

 

Grading for these categories follows the outlined rules:

  • Carrier must have THREE scores below 90%
  • Carrier can have TWO scores below 90% and ONE score between 90-100% but would need to complete the safety questionnaire in full and with acceptable responses detailing their safety plan.

 

Become an Approved Carrier

follow this link