Department of Transportation | Regulations of the road

To guarantee the transportation and delivery of your bike and for my own personal safety, I follow the Department of Transportation rules of the road. This means I drive the number of hours outlined, I go through weigh-stations, and I shut-down when I've met my total driving hours for a specified time period.

If you are going interstate ask for the hauler's "motor carrier" (MC) number, which indicates they are approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency that authorizes and regulates interstate hauling. If the hauler cannot provide one it should be a red flag to you that something's amiss and that the hauler may not be hired for interstate travel. Also don't confuse an MC number with a "DOT" number. The latter is useless in determining approval for interstate travel.

You can obtain a "snapshot"of a company's identification or operating alias, safety record, crash information and more.

The two most important things to look at are a hauler's authority for interstate travel and their insurance status. A hauler stopped at a highway weigh station without authorization won't be able to continue and your investment could be impounded.

The only positive way to ensure an interstate carrier has insurance coverage is through the "FMCSA Licensing and Insurance Site"--which is maintained by the carrier's insurance company, not the hauler there. The "Active/Pending Insurance" box will let you know if the insurance has been cancelled as well as the limits it provides for both cargo and liability policies.

Do not simply ask a hauler for a copy of "certificate of insurance" as proof of a policy. It's useless because a hauler can cancel a policy without ever telling you.

Also check the "Authorities" box. Either the "Common Authority" or "Contract Authority" should say "active." Again, if they don't, this means the hauler has no authority for interstate operation.

source: www.fmcsa.dot.gov