Steplane › Carrier onboarding process
Updated 18 October 2026 · Steplane is built by a logistics process specialist with over 13 years in logistics, including at some of the biggest freight forwarders in the world.
Short answer: before a new carrier takes its first load, check four things and keep a dated record of each:
Then watch the first load closely and review the carrier every year. One person owns each check, and the carrier file holds the proof.
Below is a checklist you can copy. It works for European and US operations.
| # | Step | Owner | Starts when | Record kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collect the carrier's company details and documents | Operations | A new carrier is proposed | Carrier file opened |
| 2 | Check licence or operating authority | Operations | Documents received | Screenshot or extract of the official check, dated |
| 3 | Check insurance with the insurer or broker | Operations | Licence check passed | Insurance certificate plus confirmation it is valid |
| 4 | Check tax and bank details | Finance | Insurance confirmed | VAT check (EU) or W-9 (US), bank details confirmed by phone |
| 5 | Agree rates and terms | Management | Checks passed | Signed carrier agreement and rate sheet |
| 6 | Run a first-load check | Operations | First load booked | Notes on pickup, tracking, delivery and documents |
| 7 | Review every year, or when documents expire | Operations | Expiry date or annual date reached | Updated carrier file with new dates |
The owners are roles, not names. In a small company one person may hold several roles, but each step still has one owner.
| Check | Europe | US |
|---|---|---|
| Licence or authority | Transport licence. For international road haulage inside the EU, the EU Community licence, with a certified copy carried in each truck. | Active operating authority on the FMCSA record (USDOT and MC number). Note how old the authority is and whether it was recently reinstated. |
| Insurance | CMR carrier liability insurance with a valid certificate. Check the cover, the dates and the territories. | A certificate of insurance confirmed directly with the insurer. Federal minimum auto liability for many for-hire interstate property carriers is $750,000. Cargo cover depends on your loads and contract. |
| Tax and payment | VAT number checked in the EU VIES system. Bank details confirmed by phone on a known number. | A signed W-9. Bank details confirmed by phone on the number in the FMCSA record. |
| Agreement | Carrier agreement and rate sheet, including CMR terms, payment terms and a ban on subcontracting without consent. | Broker-carrier agreement and rate confirmation per load, including a no re-brokering clause. |
One signal alone may be harmless. Several together are a reason to stop and check before giving the load.
General information, not legal advice. Check the current rules and your contracts for your own case.
Usually the company registration, the transport licence (an EU Community licence for international road haulage within the EU), proof of CMR liability insurance, the VAT number and the bank details. Your own customers or insurer may ask for more.
Active operating authority on the FMCSA record (USDOT and MC number), a certificate of insurance confirmed with the insurer, a signed W-9 and a signed carrier agreement. Compare the phone, email and address with the FMCSA record.
When a carrier accepts a load and passes it to another carrier without your permission. You lose control of who has the cargo and whose insurance applies, and the real carrier may not get paid.
Warning signs include contact details that do not match the official record, an email domain or address that changed recently, a reactivated authority, or pressure to book fast. Call the number on the official record, not the one in the message.
At least once a year, and whenever insurance or a licence expires. Many forwarders also re-check before a high-value load.
Both expect you to control your suppliers and business partners. A written carrier onboarding process with dated records of each check is the kind of evidence auditors ask for. The certification body or customs makes the final assessment.
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