When a federal agency leads a formal, dated, publicly addressed warning with the words “DO NOT” in all capital letters, it means the behavior they are describing is already happening at scale, right now, and it has gotten big enough that the agency felt the need to put the entire industry on notice. When I met with Agency leadership originally and in ongoing discussions since, one of our discussion points has been this very issue, and the sites and messenger apps that sell these authorities at scale. It’s a huge issue. Yesterday’s bulletin, dated March 13, 2026, tells the trucking world in plain language: do not buy, sell, or lease a USDOT number or operating authority outside of a legitimate corporate transaction. Get caught doing it and FMCSA will inactivate your number and revoke every registration tied to it. Not a fine. Not a warning letter. The end of your legal right to operate. The underground economy necessitated this bulletin. Who is buying these numbers? Who is selling them? What do they cost? Why would someone pay ten thousand dollars for something that costs three hundred dollars to get legitimately? I’m glad you asked. Why an old number is worth real money New motor carrier authority costs roughly $300 in federal fees. You can obtain a USDOT number and operating authority in a few days. So why are people paying $5,000, $10,000 or more for an aged one? In the vetting ecosystem that brokers and shippers use every day, age…
