FMCSA does not publish emergency bulletins for hypothetical problems. When a federal agency puts out a formal, dated, publicly addressed warning that begins with the phrase “DO NOT” in all capital letters, it is because the behavior being warned against is happening — at scale, right now — and the agency wants the industry to understand that it is watching and that the consequences are not administrative inconveniences. They are the end of your operating authority. The bulletin published today addresses something that is circulating in corners of the trucking industry with enough frequency to warrant federal intervention: the sale, purchase, and leasing of USDOT numbers and MC operating authority outside of legitimate corporate transactions. If you have seen advertisements offering aged DOT numbers for sale, if someone has approached you about “leasing” an established MC number to avoid the new carrier probationary period, or if you have considered buying a sole proprietor’s DOT number when you bought their equipment and routes — this bulletin is aimed directly at you. Here is what the bulletin says, why FMCSA issued it today, and why every small carrier needs to understand this issue clearly. Video: USDOT YouTube. Secretary Duffy Joins “Keep Wisconsin Trucking Great” Industry Event What FMCSA Said The bulletin’s core directive is legally precise, and the precision matters. A USDOT number is a permanent, non-transferable identifier assigned to a specific legal person. FMCSA compares it to a driver’s license or identification card. It belongs to the assigned legal entity forever.…
