If you hold a USDOT number, the way you manage your registration just changed. FMCSA has officially launched Motus, its new USDOT Registration System, and it is now the home base for applying for and managing your registration. Here is what it is, who it affects, and exactly what to do.

Episode Highlights

What Is Motus?

Motus is FMCSA’s modern, more secure platform that replaces the older, outdated registration systems. The name comes from the Latin word for movement, and the goal is to give carriers a single place to apply for registration, update business information, manage filings, and control who has access to your company account.

It centralizes everything tied to your USDOT number and operating authority into one system.

Who Does This Affect?

If you hold a USDOT number or operating authority, this affects you. That includes motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, intermodal equipment providers, and cargo tank facilities.

Supporting companies that assist with registration, like BOC-3 filers, insurance and financial responsibility filers, and transportation service providers, also use Motus, but through a different account type.

What You Need to Do as an Existing Carrier

If you already have a USDOT number, you do not start over. The company official logs into Motus and claims the existing record. This imports your company data automatically, so you simply review it, update anything outdated, and certify that it is accurate.

One critical detail: you must log in using the same Login.gov email you used as the company official in the old FMCSA Portal. A different email will not connect you to your existing record.

To complete first-time setup, have these three things ready:

• Your Login.gov account, using that same email
• A device with a camera, a phone, tablet, or webcam, for identity verification
• A valid government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport

If you are new and do not have a USDOT number yet, you will create a profile in Motus and apply directly through the system. You can access everything at motus.dot.gov.

Why This Matters for Your Cash Flow

Your registration status is tied directly to your ability to get paid. Brokers and shippers verify your authority before they book you. If your record is inactive, suspended, or out of date, loads dry up and payments stop with them.

Keeping your information current in Motus is not just a compliance task. It protects your ability to keep hauling and keep cash moving.

Do Not Put It Off

Claiming your record is straightforward, but it should not wait. FMCSA expects required updates within 30 days of any change, and providing outdated or incorrect information can lead to enforcement action.

Set aside about 20 minutes, gather your Login.gov email and your ID, and get it handled while things are calm. The carriers who deal with this early avoid the scramble and keep their authority clean.

How does cash flow affect cost per mile planning? Knowing your cost per mile helps you plan, but if you are waiting 30 to 45 days to get paid on loads you already delivered, your costs hit before your money does. Bobtail’s financial tools for cash flow give owner-operators same-day pay so you can plan around real numbers, not payment delays. Learn more at bobtail.com.

Where can I find the most profitable freight lanes by equipment type? The This Week in Trucking free newsletter breaks down the hottest freight markets by equipment type every week, plus broker collection alerts. Sign up at bobtail.com/newsletter.

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