Brokers that work with new authority
TQL, C.H. Robinson and RXO take the youngest authority of the companies we checked. TQL asks only for valid, active FMCSA authority before approval, C.H. Robinson wants your MC active at least 7 days, and RXO's sign-up form asks for at least 3 months in business as a carrier, with auto insurance of at least $1,000,000 and cargo of at least $100,000. Arrive Logistics wants 365+ days of authority, and Amazon Relay, which books Amazon's own freight without a broker, wants 180. TQL and C.H. Robinson take your certificate from your insurance agent, not from you.
Updated . Written by Andre Beukers, principal at Redoubt, a commercial insurance agency in Salt Lake City, not a government office.
Which brokers work with a new MC authority?
FMCSA's gate comes first: it "will not grant operating authority registration until the registrant has in effect the minimum levels of financial responsibility on file with FMCSA." After that, how long you wait is each broker's own rule. TQL's vetting page, under minimum operating authority tenure, says only that carriers "must have valid and active operating authority issued by the FMCSA prior to approval." C.H. Robinson says "Your MC authority must be active for at least 7 days before you can be considered for hauling with C.H. Robinson." RXO's sign-up form asks you to confirm "I have been in business as a carrier for at least 3 months." Amazon Relay, which says it books Amazon freight "all without a broker," asks for 180 days of active interstate authority, and Arrive Logistics lists "Active Common or Contract Authority (365+ days)" among its requirements.
J.B. Hunt's brokerage requirements page publishes no authority age. It sends carriers through Highway to verify "active authority and insurance" and says specific business units and load types "may have additional requirements including supplemental insurance, equipment, experience or training." No published figure is not the same as no rule, so ask the carrier-setup team before you count on it, and read each page again before you apply.
| Company | Authority age it publishes |
|---|---|
| TQL | Active authority before approval |
| C.H. Robinson | MC active at least 7 days |
| RXO (sign-up form) | At least 3 months in business as a carrier |
| Amazon Relay (Amazon's own freight, no broker) | Interstate authority active at least 180 days |
| Arrive Logistics | 365+ days of active authority |
| J.B. Hunt (ICS brokerage) | None published |
Why do some brokers want six months or a year of authority?
None of the broker pages we read explains its authority age; they describe the checking that goes with it. TQL says "Authority status is verified during onboarding and continuously monitored thereafter," and names "signals related to fraud, theft, or compliance risk" among the things that can get a carrier removed. Highway, the verification platform C.H. Robinson and J.B. Hunt both name, tells brokers to "Bring your carrier requirements, compliance rules, and operational workflows together in one platform". The ages themselves differ by broker, as the published figures show: 7 days at C.H. Robinson, 3 months at RXO, 365+ days at Arrive.
A new carrier told us in June 2026 that for its first months it could not get good freight because "the broker, they want a six month later company." One way through is the brokers that take a younger authority, and loads posted by brokers whose rule you already meet. Amazon Relay lets you apply early: "You can still apply even if your DOT authority hasn’t been active for 180 days".
What insurance does a new authority need to pass broker setup?
The broker's own written minimum, not just the $750,000 that 49 CFR 387.9 sets for a for-hire carrier of nonhazardous property in interstate commerce at 10,001 pounds GVWR or more; RXO's sign-up form, for one, asks you to confirm auto insurance of at least $1,000,000 and cargo of at least $100,000.
How do brokers check a new authority's insurance?
With your agent, not with you. C.H. Robinson says your application moves to final review once "Highway receives your certificate of insurance directly from your insurance agent," and that processing "can take 1-2 business days after all required documents are received." TQL says "Insurance is verified directly with the carrier’s insurance agent (not accepted directly from carriers)" and that it "continuously monitors insurance for cancellations, lapses, or changes."
So the request lands with us, and how fast it is answered is part of how fast you book the first load. In August 2026 a request reached us about a new carrier "who may not be able to haul freight with C.H. Robinson until a certificate of insurance (COI) is provided"; in September another came from RMIS, the service brokers retain "to monitor the insurance status of your company." Tell us each broker's name as you apply, so the certificate is there when its review starts.
Which brokers work with a new authority box truck?
The same ones, under the same rules: each age line in the table is written about the authority or the business, not the truck. TQL lists "Sprinter" and "Straight Truck" among the equipment it has loads for, and its FAQ says box truck, sprinter van and hotshot loads are "Available only in the app, not Carrier Dashboard," so look for them in TQL's app. DAT says "Whether you’re just starting out or are already established, DAT can simplify how you find box truck freight loads".
Which brokers work with a new authority hotshot?
TQL lists "Hotshot" among its equipment types, with the same app-only note. C.H. Robinson's 7-day line is written about "Your MC authority," and RXO's form asks about time "in business as a carrier"; neither line names an equipment type, so ask each setup team whether it books hotshot freight before you count on it.
Check what kind of authority you hold, too. Truckstop says "Loads shown in the Load Board match your operating authority. Carriers with intrastate-only authority will see intrastate loads," and Amazon Relay asks for a DOT number with interstate authority. A hotshot with intrastate-only authority sees only intrastate loads on Truckstop and does not meet Relay's line.
Is there a hot shot broker board for new authorities?
DAT advertises hotshot and box truck loads, and Truckstop shows which loads your authority age can book. Truckstop's carrier plans include an Authority Age Filter, which it describes in one line: "See a broker’s authority age requirement posted in the load details." DAT says that with its load board package "you can search hot shot loads across the DAT network and then use the DAT Directory to review broker details."
The age on the load is the broker's, not the board's: Truckstop describes it as "a broker’s authority age requirement." Filter for loads whose posted age you already meet, and start your setups with those brokers.
Is there a list of brokers that work with new authorities?
The table above is one, built from each company's own page or sign-up form as it read on October 3, 2026. Read the broker's page again before you apply, and where a broker publishes no age, ask its carrier-setup team.
When does the authority-age clock start?
On the brokers' own wording, when the authority is active, not when you applied. C.H. Robinson counts the days your MC authority has been active; Amazon Relay counts the days your DOT number with interstate authority has been active. RXO's form asks instead whether you have been in business as a carrier for at least 3 months.
Will a higher liability limit get me past a broker's age rule?
None of the companies in the table says so. Age and insurance are separate lines on each list: RXO's form, for one, asks you to confirm the 3 months, the cargo insurance and the auto insurance as three separate statements.
Where these answers come from
Each entry carries the exact words of the source so you can check it yourself. Forms, rules and carrier pages change; read the current version before acting.
- 1. FMCSA, Insurance Filing Requirements, overview
“FMCSA will not grant operating authority registration until the registrant has in effect the minimum levels of financial responsibility on file with FMCSA.”
fmcsa.dot.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Pulled with a Node fetch on 2026-10-03; fmcsa.dot.gov returns 403 to curl. The page says it was last updated March 26, 2026. - 2. 49 CFR 387.9, schedule of limits, row 1, eCFR
“For-hire (In interstate or foreign commerce, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds) Property (nonhazardous) $750,000”
ecfr.gov, accessed October 3, 2026. Pulled from the eCFR versioner API (version 2026-09-30). Last amended 91 FR 45660, July 21, 2026, which changed no dollar figure. - 3. TQL, Carrier vetting, minimum operating authority tenure requirements
“Minimum operating authority tenure requirements Carriers must have valid and active operating authority issued by the FMCSA prior to approval.”
tql.com, accessed October 3, 2026. A heading and the line under it. A broker's statement of its own requirement. - 4. TQL, Carrier vetting, authority and insurance monitoring
“Authority status is verified during onboarding and continuously monitored thereafter.”
tql.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 5. TQL, Carrier vetting, insurance monitoring
“TQL continuously monitors insurance for cancellations, lapses, or changes.”
tql.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 6. TQL, Carrier vetting, carrier monitoring
“changes in the following areas can trigger removal: status changes (authority, insurance, safety indicators); performance and reliability; signals related to fraud, theft, or compliance risk.”
tql.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 7. TQL, Carrier vetting, insurance verification
“Insurance is verified directly with the carrier’s insurance agent (not accepted directly from carriers).”
tql.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 8. TQL, Frequently asked questions for carriers, trailer types
“Step Deck Specialized Open Deck Hotshot Sprinter Straight Truck Auto Trailer”
tql.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Consecutive items of the Trailer Types list. - 9. TQL, Frequently asked questions for carriers, why can't I find loads
“Box Trucks / Sprinter Vans / Hotshots Available only in the app, not Carrier Dashboard.”
tql.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 10. C.H. Robinson, Frequently Asked Carrier Questions, how long my MC number needs to be active
“Your MC authority must be active for at least 7 days before you can be considered for hauling with C.H. Robinson.”
chrobinson.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 11. C.H. Robinson, Frequently Asked Carrier Questions, how to sign up as a contract carrier
“Once you complete the registration and Highway receives your certificate of insurance directly from your insurance agent, your application will move into final review.”
chrobinson.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 12. C.H. Robinson, Frequently Asked Carrier Questions, onboarding review
“Activation is not always immediate. Our onboarding team carefully reviews each submission, and processing can take 1-2 business days after all required documents are received.”
chrobinson.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 13. RXO Connect, carrier sign-up form, requirements to contract with RXO
“I have been in business as a carrier for at least 3 months”
carrier.rxoconnect.rxo.com, accessed October 3, 2026. One of three statements under "Do you meet the below requirements to contract with RXO?" The page is rendered by script and curl returns an empty shell; the text was confirmed on 2026-10-03 in the form's compiled template, fetched from RXO's registration module (connect-ng-carrier-registration.rxoconnect.rxo.com, chunk 2760.8f9dd5139b72f75bee37.js, component rxoc-registration-lib-registration). - 14. RXO Connect, carrier sign-up form, insurance requirements
“I have a cargo insurance with coverage of at least $100,000 I have an auto insurance with coverage of at least $1,000,000”
carrier.rxoconnect.rxo.com, accessed October 3, 2026. Two consecutive checklist lines on the form, the second and third under the same question. Confirmed on 2026-10-03 in the form's compiled template, as for rxo-3-months. - 15. Amazon Relay, Get started, application requirements
“Amazon Relay carriers need a valid MC number and a DOT number with interstate authority that has been active for minimum of 180 days.”
relay.amazon.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 16. Amazon Relay, Get started, what Relay is
“Relay connects carriers directly to Amazon freight. Find loads, book them, and manage everything in one place—all without a broker.”
relay.amazon.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 17. Amazon Relay, Get started, applying before 180 days
“You can still apply even if your DOT authority hasn’t been active for 180 days — we’ll keep you updated on key program news while you wait to join our network.”
relay.amazon.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 19. J.B. Hunt, Carrier Requirements and Onboarding, additional requirements
“Specific J.B. Hunt business units and/or load types (such as specialized or high-value brokered loads) may have additional requirements including supplemental insurance, equipment, experience or training.”
jbhunt.com, accessed October 3, 2026. The page states no authority age for its ICS brokerage division. - 20. J.B. Hunt, Carrier Requirements and Onboarding, carrier verification
“Complete verification using Highway, a specialized technology platform used to verify carrier identity. It provides us with updated company and contact information, active authority and insurance, carrier identity and ownership, and safety and compliance status.”
jbhunt.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 21. Highway, Highway for Freight Brokers, a vendor describing its own product
“Bring your carrier requirements, compliance rules, and operational workflows together in one platform so your team can work faster with greater confidence.”
highway.com, accessed October 3, 2026. What Highway says its platform does for brokers; not a statement of any one broker's rules. - 22. Truckstop, Load Board for Carriers, Authority Age Filter feature
“See a broker’s authority age requirement posted in the load details.”
truckstop.com, accessed October 3, 2026. The feature's description in the plan comparison, shown in its info panel. Listed as included in every carrier plan on the page. - 23. Truckstop, Load Board for Carriers, loads by authority
“Loads shown in the Load Board match your operating authority. Carriers with intrastate-only authority will see intrastate loads.”
truckstop.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 24. DAT, Box Truck Loads, a load board describing its own product
“Whether you’re just starting out or are already established, DAT can simplify how you find box truck freight loads so you can keep your business moving.”
dat.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 25. DAT, Hot Shot Broker, a load board describing its own product
“With your DAT One Load Board Package, you can search hot shot loads across the DAT network and then use the DAT Directory to review broker details.”
dat.com, accessed October 3, 2026 - 26. Call with a carrier on a new MC, June 2026 (internal record)
“So in the first three months or four months, we have we can't get the good load because, you know, the broker, they want a six month later company.”
Redoubt agency records, accessed June 9, 2026. Call transcript, quoted as transcribed; the record's speaker prefix is dropped. What a caller told us, not a broker's published rule. - 27. Certificate request received by Redoubt for a new carrier hauling for C.H. Robinson, August 2026 (internal record)
“who may not be able to haul freight with C.H. Robinson until a certificate of insurance (COI) is provided”
Redoubt agency records, accessed August 31, 2026. Email to the agency. The opening words, which name the carrier, are left out. - 28. Insurance monitoring notice received by Redoubt from RMIS, September 2026 (internal record)
“The broker(s) listed below, have retained the services of Registry Monitoring Insurance Services, Inc. (RMIS) to monitor the insurance status of your company.”
Redoubt agency records, accessed September 2, 2026
A freight broker will not set the carrier up until the packet shows the limits it wants
TQL, C.H. Robinson, J.B. Hunt and other brokers: the carrier packet, the $100,000 cargo ask, and who takes new authority.
Elsewhere on the site
New MC and lining up brokers?
Text Redoubt your MC number, the brokers you plan to apply to, and what their setup asks for. We will tell you whether your policy meets each one's insurance line and what has to change before the first setup.
This is general insurance information, not legal advice or a coverage determination. The policy forms, the endorsements the carrier issues, and the requirement in writing from whoever is asking control.