What are DOT leads?
A DOT lead is a motor carrier, identified by its USDOT number, whose public FMCSA record suggests it may need commercial auto / liability coverage soon — for example a brand-new registration, a filed cancellation, a lapsed BI/PD filing, or a reinstatement. Agencies buy filtered lists or feeds of those carriers to prospect trucking books.
Two products share the name
In 2026, “DOT leads” and “trucking insurance leads” often mean different products:
- FMCSA data subscriptions (~$39–$999/mo, often clustering $99–$299; single-state packs often ~$39–$79) — recurring lists of carriers whose filings suggest you should call.
- Marketplace / intent leads — aged ~$8–$25, shared web ~$15–$35, exclusive web ~$30–$65, live transfer ~$50–$225 — someone already asked for a quote.
Comparing a $49 census dump to a $110 exclusive web lead without separating categories produces nonsense. NewDOT Leads is the first category: weekly for-hire census CSV by state.
Signals agencies actually work
Early notice a business entered the federal census. Strong for volume dialing; weak as a sign the carrier can bind yet. USDOT ≠ MC →
Stronger operating trigger; insurance filings (BMC-91/91X) and BOC-3 are typically required before authority activates.
Often higher urgency when built on filed insurer notices (49 CFR 387.313) vs predicted registration anniversaries.
What NewDOT Leads sells
Weekly CSV of carriers newly appearing in the public FMCSA Company Census as AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE (status A), filtered by state physical address. All 50 state packs ship weekly. State pack or ZIP-targeted list — same schema. Pricing: $79/mo seat per state.
- Named provenance (dataset az4n-8mr2, SODA API — not SAFER HTML scrape)
- Free sample CSV, no form wall
- Delivered every Monday by 9:00 AM PT · cancel-by-email · all sales final · schema make-good (re-delivery) per the billing policy
- Honest: not exclusive, not Motus X-dates, not SMTP-verified contacts
Which signal do you need?
| Signal | What it means | Do we sell it? |
|---|---|---|
| New for-hire census appearance (new USDOT) | Carrier just entered the FMCSA census as AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE, usually before its MC authority is active | Yes — weekly, by state or ZIP set |
| MC authority grant | Operating authority granted after insurance filings (BMC-91/91X) and BOC-3 are accepted | No |
| Filed cancellation / X-date | An existing account going back to market | No |
Quick FAQ
Are DOT leads the same as exclusive trucking insurance leads?
No. DOT/FMCSA data leads are shared public-record prospecting lists. Exclusive marketplace leads are usually intent-based and priced one at a time.
Why do agents still buy FMCSA lists?
Volume, low cost per name, and built-in timing around new registrations or filing events — if the team will call fast and verify on SAFER. Competition is high because everyone can see the same federal data.
Can I call and email these carriers?
They are businesses listed in a public federal record. How you contact them is your decision and your responsibility. Federal and state rules on calling (including the TCPA), Do Not Call registries, and commercial email (CAN-SPAM) can apply to your outreach, and phone numbers are as filed, so some may be cell phones. Buyers are responsible for their own outreach compliance. This isn't legal advice; check with your own counsel.
Where should I start?
Get the free demo sample or request a free 10-row live sample for your state, verify a few USDOTs on SAFER, then email [email protected] if a weekly seat fits your book.