How to get your trucking authority in 2026
FMCSA retired the Unified Registration System. Here is the current process through Motus, step by step.
Straight answers about the business of trucking.
HaulBrief explains what it costs to run a truck, what the federal government requires of you, and what the numbers actually say — with every figure sourced, dated, and free of anyone trying to sell you a policy, a factoring line or a filing service.
Start here
What it actually costs to start
A line-by-line breakdown using current federal fees and ATRI's 2026 operating cost data.
UCR fees for 2027 are up about 20%
New rates take effect October 1, 2026. The full table by fleet size, and how to file it yourself.
Tools and reference data
Cost per mile calculator
Work out your real cost per mile, then see how each line item compares against the industry average published by ATRI. Most calculators skip that second half.
Federal fee reference
Every recurring federal fee a small carrier pays, with amounts, deadlines and the rule each one comes from. Updated when the rules change.
Why this site exists
Search for almost anything about running a truck and the results belong to someone with a stake in the answer. Lease-purchase is explained by lease-purchase companies. Factoring is explained by factors. Insurance requirements are explained by insurance agencies. Registration is explained by the services that charge to file it for you.
None of that is dishonest on its face, but it shapes what gets said and what gets left out. HaulBrief is written by someone with nothing to sell you. Three rules hold it together:
- Every number is sourced. Fees come from the Federal Register and FMCSA. Cost benchmarks come from ATRI. Fuel prices come from the EIA. Each page links to the original.
- Every page shows when it was last reviewed. Trucking regulation changes constantly, and an undated guide is worthless.
- When the answer depends on your state or your operation, we say so instead of giving an average that fits nobody.
The site carries display advertising. It runs no affiliate links and takes no sponsored placements, because the moment a page earns a commission on the advice it gives, the advice is worth less. Read the full editorial policy.