Why You Should Use the FMCSA Snapshot Feature When Shipping A Car

1. How To Use the Search Feature
2. What Information Can You Find?

If you’ve ever searched online for a company to ship a car (or are doing so now), you might be taken aback by a few things. First off, there are probably far more companies in the business than you may have originally thought and secondly, it is not easy to track down accurate information about the companies you are interested in. Luckily, there is one resource that provide great insight and help you determine the good companies from the bad. That resource is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Company Snapshot tool.

The Company Snapshot feature is part of the SAFER (Safety and Fitness Electronic Records) system that oversees the transport industry as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. As such, it’s the go-to resource for anyone looking for information and statistics about companies in the transport industry and provides information that you likely won’t find elsewhere. While many companies may make claims on their websites about their history and safety, the SAFER portal is truly the only place to get verified information, directly from the governmental body that regulates the industry.

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How To Use the Search Feature

The search function of the SAFER system is relatively straightforward and easy to use. You can search either by company name, U.S. Department of Transportation number, or Motor Carrier number. The information required to initiate a search should be easy to track down, either by checking a company’s website (it should be listed there), or by calling them and asking directly. If, for any reason, a company is unwilling or unable to supply you with this information, that’s typically a sign that they’re not operating with full transparency and you should probably look elsewhere for your transport needs.

What Information Can You Find?

Among other things you’ll find about auto transport companies on the SAFER portal are their legal name, address and mailing address, contact number, and their operational classification. While this may seem like basic information you can find anywhere, you’ll find that many companies operate under a DBA, or “doing business as” designation, which allows them to operate under a trade name different from their legal name. In addition, you can also find information about where a company is licensed to operate, usually within one state, or if they have the ability to transport across multiple states. There is also information related to what types of cargo they’re permitted to haul, as well as safety and inspection information that can be helpful in determining the track record of a company you’re considering.