DO:

• Exercise due diligence in hiring carriers. Check the insurance, operating authority and safety rating.
  
  
• Get a copy of the carrier's insurance certificate, and check to be sure that the name on the policy matches the company name on the operating authority.
  
  
• Sign a broker-carrier agreement that specifies that the carrier will comply with all applicable regulations.
  
  

DON'T:

• Assume that the carrier's insurance, authority and safety rating are unchanged since the last time you checked.
  
  
• Rely on the carrier to provide proof of insurance. Contact the insurance agent directly or obtain a copy of the current insurance certificate from a trusted source.
  
  
• Instruct the carrier to follow a route or procedure that might appear to encourage a violation of safety or hours-of-service regulations.
  
  

SOLUTION:

• Create a carrier watch list, and TransCore will send you an alert when there is a change in status for any carrier on your list.
  
  
• Get an electronic copy of the actual insurance certificate automatically, when you upgrade to CarrierWatch Premium.  
  Learn more.
  
  
• Contact a transportation attorney, or refer your company's current attorney to the model contracts on the TIA web site: http://www.tianet.org/.