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Start your trucking company in the right order, not the expensive one.

Entity, EIN, USDOT and MC authority on the new Motus system, insurance, the new-entrant audit and your first 90 days of cash flow. Step by step, with the real costs.

Models and honest economics, budget, entity and taxes, USDOT and MC authority on the new Motus system, insurance, new-entrant audit, freight and cash flow.

Get the course, $49 Read lesson 1 free

Instant access after paymentFinal examCertificate included

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6 modules
8 lessons
about 10 hours
Certificate of completion
US rules and employers

Does this sound like you?

You are not sure where to begin

Entity first? Insurance first? Authority first? The order matters, and mistakes cost weeks.

You keep seeing "guaranteed MC in days"

Scams target new carriers every week. You want to know what the government actually charges.

You are worried about the first months

Insurance, plates, fuel and slow payers drain cash. You want a plan, not a hope.

What is the Carrier Authority & Startup course?

The step-by-step path from nothing to an operating carrier.

What will you be able to do after the Carrier Authority & Startup course?

By the end of the Carrier Authority & Startup course you will be able to do the 3 things listed here. Each skill is practiced in the lessons and checked in the final scenario exam, so you can test your own progress before you apply for work or take on a client.

Work out your real startup budget
Follow the authority steps in the right order
Plan your first 90 days of cash flow

What is in the curriculum?

The Carrier Authority & Startup course has 6 modules and 8 lessons, about 10 hours of study in total. The lessons are written in plain English, and the course closes with a final scenario exam and a certificate of completion. It starts with deciding and planning and moves on to setting up legally.

Module 1Deciding and planning2 topics · 2 h

Topics in this module

Is starting a carrier right for you? Models, money and honest expectations (read free)
Planning your business and startup budget

Module 2Setting up legally2 topics · 3 h

Topics in this module

The legal and tax foundation
Getting your operating authority, step by step

Module 3Insurance and equipment1 topic · 1 h

Topics in this module

Insurance, equipment and getting the truck road-ready

Module 4Staying compliant1 topic · 1 h

Topics in this module

The compliance foundation for new entrants

Module 5Freight and cash1 topic · 1 h

Topics in this module

Finding freight and getting paid

Module 6Operating and growing1 topic · 1 h

Topics in this module

Running the business and growing safely

Course at a glance
Module	Topics	Study time
Deciding and planning	2	2 h
Setting up legally	2	3 h
Insurance and equipment	1	1 h
Staying compliant	1	1 h
Freight and cash	1	1 h
Operating and growing	1	1 h
Total	8 topics in 8 lessons	about 10 h
Price	$49, one payment, final exam and certificate included

Also included

A workbook of templates and exercises you can copy into your own files
Monthly updates when rules change

Final exam and certificate

A 25-question scenario exam covering: Deciding and planning; Setting up legally; Insurance and equipment; Staying compliant; Freight and cash; Operating and growing. Pass mark is 80%. You then receive a Truck Dispatching USA certificate of completion with a QR code that anyone can verify online.

Who is this course for?

This is for you if

Drivers and aspiring owner-operators thinking about their own authority, and dispatchers or advisers who support them.

Who is behind this course?

Truck Dispatching USA LLC is a US dispatch company. This course is written and reviewed by Abuzar, founder of Truck Dispatching USA LLC, the dispatch company behind this academy. The lessons are in plain English, around US rules and US employers. We check facts against the regulator or agency named in each lesson, show you the source, and date the page. When a rule changes, the lesson changes.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Questions: contact us or write to [email protected].

Check the facts yourself

What is the recognized credential in this field?

In this field, the recognized credential is Operating authority (MC number) via the Unified Registration System, with BOC-3 and BMC-84/85 filings from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). FMCSA is the federal agency that issues the operating authority a new carrier or broker legally needs before hauling or arranging freight. TD Dispatch Academy is independent. We are not affiliated with or accredited by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and our certificate is a certificate of completion from Truck Dispatching USA. This course teaches the day-to-day job itself, which is also the foundation if an employer later asks for Operating authority (MC number) via the Unified Registration System, with BOC-3 and BMC-84/85 filings.

Official site: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

What jobs and pay can this lead to?

The Carrier Authority & Startup course prepares you for roles such as owner-operator with your own authority, small fleet owner and dispatcher or adviser to new carriers. Pay depends on the employer, the state and your experience, so the figures below come from published sources and job listings. Read the roles first, then check which ones are hiring near you.

Roles this skill opens

Owner-operator with your own authority

You run your own truck as a business, find your own freight and carry your own costs.

Small fleet owner

Some owners add trucks and drivers over time. It adds payroll, insurance and compliance work.

Dispatcher or adviser to new carriers

Many new carriers need help with setup and paperwork. The course gives you the map.

Ways to use it

Lease on to a carrier first

Drive under another carrier's authority to learn the business with less set-up.

Start your own authority

USDOT number, operating authority, insurance, process agent and the new-entrant audit. The course covers the order of steps.

Official US pay figures

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (employees)

Median pay per year: $58,640
Lowest 10% under: $40,140
Highest 10% over: $79,380
Jobs in the US: 2,221,200
Outlook 2025 to 2035: 4% (as fast as average)
Usual entry: Postsecondary nondegree award (CDL training)

BLS, SOC 53-3032

Transportation, storage and distribution managers

Median pay per year: $107,230
Lowest 10% under: $65,120
Highest 10% over: $194,900
Jobs in the US: 228,100
Outlook 2025 to 2035: 6% (faster than average)
Usual entry: High school diploma plus 5 or more years in a related job

BLS, SOC 11-3071

The government does not publish what owner-operators or small carriers earn. The figure shown is for employee truck drivers and is a reference point only. Your result depends on your costs, your freight and your market.

The money, with simple math

Example with made-up numbers. Yours will be different.

Fixed costs per month (truck payment, insurance, permits): $6,000

Miles per month: 8,000

Fixed cost per mile: $0.75

Fuel, maintenance and tires per mile: $1.05

Total cost per mile: $1.80

A load that pays $2.10 a mile leaves: $0.30 a mile, about $2,400 a month, before taxes and your own pay

Take a month with fewer miles, a repair or a slow payer and that margin disappears fast. That is why the first lesson asks whether this is right for you.

How to put it to work

Do the lesson 1 check firstIs starting a carrier right for you? Use the budget workbook before you spend money.
Decide: lease on or own authorityCompare costs and control for both. Price insurance before you decide.
Register with FMCSAUse the official site only (link below). Never pay a third party for something the official site does.
Line up insurance, equipment and your compliance routineThe lessons give you the order and the checklists.
Find freight and plan cash flowKnow how you will get paid in the first 60 days before you take the first load.

Risks, said plainly

Starting a carrier is capital-heavy. Truck payment, insurance and fuel are due whether or not you have freight.
Cash flow: you pay costs now and customers pay later.
New-entrant safety audit and ongoing compliance have to be done correctly.
Equipment breakdowns and downtime are normal costs of the business.
Educational only. Get your own legal, tax and insurance advice.

Reported pay ranges

Trucking dispatch

Employee dispatcher: $35,000 to $60,000 a year (median $47,500)
Entry-level freight dispatcher: $45,000 to $55,000
Intermodal dispatcher: $65,000 to $70,000
Trucking dispatcher, Charlotte NC: $60,000 to $70,000
Independent dispatcher (6 to 8 trucks): $85,000 to $180,000+ (industry-quoted; depends on fleet, lanes and fee, see the maths table)
Dispatcher fees: 5% to 10% of gross revenue (most 6% to 8%)
Flat weekly fee: $150 to $400 per truck
Per-load fee: $30 to $75 per load

Freight broker

Average: $64,803 to $65,698
Experienced, first year: $75,000 to $100,000+
Top earners: $144,384

2026 reported ranges from public pay sources. Pay depends on state, employer, shift and experience. Official national figures: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dispatchers.

Hiring sectors and demand

Freight dispatching: "Not oversaturated. Most people quit within months. Demand for skilled, reliable dispatchers remains steady."
Aircraft dispatcher: reported 21% job growth through 2028 (an older projection, faster than average; check the current BLS outlook).
Flight dispatcher: reported +13% year-over-year vacancy growth globally.
Largest dispatcher employers: land transport (12.3%), specialised construction (6.2%), employment and staffing (2.6%).
Health care and social assistance employs the largest share of dispatchers.
AI impact: job growth, not contraction, may be the near-term story for dispatchers willing to learn the tools.

How to apply

Where to look

Indeed
LinkedIn
ZipRecruiter
FlexJobs
FreightWaves Classifieds
TruckingJobs.com
DAT Job Board
JobsInLogistics.com

Your resume

One page, plain format that applicant-tracking systems can read. Put numbers on what you did. Add your Truck Dispatching USA certificate and the course name under training.

Many entry-level roles say: no experience needed, training available.
Small fleets hire by referral, phone call and trial.
Resume: 1 page, readable by applicant-tracking systems, 6 sections, quantified track record.

Start today

One payment. No subscription. Your access is linked to your email.

$49 ~~$79~~

Launch price until 30 November 2026. One payment, no subscription.

6 modules, 8 lessons, about 10 hours
Downloadable templates and checklists
Final exam and certificate of completion
Updates when rules change

What do people ask before they enroll?

These are the questions people ask most before they enroll: who the course is for, what it covers, how long it takes and what the certificate means. If your question is not answered here, write to [email protected] and we will reply by email.

Do I need experience?

No. The course starts from the basics and builds step by step. Lesson 1 is free to read, so you can check the level before you pay.

What do I get?

8 lessons (about 10 hours of study), a workbook of templates and exercises, a 25-question final exam and a certificate of completion with a QR code anyone can verify.

How long do I have access?

Your access is linked to your email and stays open. You can study on any device, at your own pace.

Where do the pay numbers on this page come from?

From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (pay: May 2025; jobs and outlook: 2025 to 2035). They are national figures for related jobs, with a link to the source under each one.

Will this help me get a job or start earning?

The course gives you the skills, checklists and numbers people in this field are hired for. Finish the lessons, pass the exam, put the verified certificate on your resume, then apply. What you do with it depends on your effort, your market and your decisions.

How much does it cost?

It is $49 at the launch price until 30 November 2026, then $79. One payment, no subscription.

What about refunds?

This is digital content, so there is no refund once access is unlocked. Read lesson 1 free first. The full terms are on the Training Terms page.

Is it for the United States only?

Yes. It teaches US rules and US freight. Outside the US, local law and tax differ, so get professional advice before you act.

Is the content kept current?

We review the courses every month and update them when rules change. The Courses page shows what changed.

Which courses come next?

Browse every course by field on the Courses page. Already read about the trucking basics? Start with Truck Dispatcher Pro.

Want the whole field? This course is also in the Trucking Career Bundle. One payment covers every course in it.

Hiring or looking for work? Browse the US truck dispatchers directory or the directory of dispatchers outside the US.

Start today.

Learn the skill, finish the course, apply for the jobs or build the business. The only wrong move is waiting another month.

Get the course, $49

$49 ~~$79~~Enroll

Educational material for the United States. Not legal, tax, medical or financial advice. Truck Dispatching USA LLC is not affiliated with any certifying body named on this page. Last reviewed November 2026.