Carrier Vetting Policy
How Navi screens, monitors, and removes carriers — the 8-layer system behind every shipment
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Why carrier vetting decides how your shipment goes
Your experience depends on one thing above everything else: the carrier who physically hauls your car. Vetting is how we control that variable.
Thousands of car haulers operate in the U.S. with wildly different safety records, insurance quality, and compliance histories. The difference between a smooth delivery and a costly problem is almost always decided before the truck ever arrives — in whether the broker actually verified who they handed your vehicle to. Many brokers check an MC number once at onboarding and never look again. Navi screens every carrier through an eight-layer system before their first load, and re-verifies them every day after.
The risks this policy exists to block are concrete: an unverified insurance certificate becomes a denied claim that the customer eats; an expired operating authority becomes an FMCSA shutdown mid-route; a carrier with a pattern of damage claims becomes your damaged bumper. You aren't matched with "whoever calls first" — you're matched only with carriers who have proven, and keep proving, that they meet the standards below.
The 8-layer carrier screening system
Every incoming carrier must pass all eight layers. Failing any one means rejection.
1 · FMCSA Safety Rating Analysis
Safety scores, inspection history, roadside violations, and out-of-service data are pulled from the FMCSA SAFER database. Carriers with conditional or unsatisfactory ratings are disqualified outright.
2 · DOT & MC Authority Verification
Operating authority status and history are confirmed — and then re-checked daily — to ensure the carrier is legally authorized with zero revocations or pending suspensions.
3 · Insurance Validation
Cargo and liability policies are verified for authenticity, active dates, coverage limits, and exclusions that could jeopardize a customer vehicle — with continuous certificate monitoring activated from day one.
4 · Claims History Review
Patterns of past damages, disputes, and customer complaints signal elevated risk and result in rejection or probation before a single load is assigned.
5 · Equipment & Maintenance Standards
Trailers, tie-downs, ramps, and safety equipment must meet our performance requirements — improper equipment is a leading cause of preventable transit damage.
6 · CDL & Driver Qualification
Driver identity, license status, experience, accident history, and endorsements are reviewed so the person behind the wheel is as verified as the company name on the truck.
7 · Performance Scoring
Timeliness, communication quality, cancellation rates, and customer-reported outcomes feed a performance score that determines which carriers keep receiving loads.
8 · Ongoing Monitoring & Red-Flag Alerts
FMCSA updates, insurance lapses, and new violations trigger automatic flags and suspension workflows — vetting continues for as long as the carrier is in the network.
What we require vs the industry minimum
Federal minimums are the floor, not the standard. Here's where Navi's bar sits.
| Category | Industry Minimum | Navi Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Liability Coverage | $750,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Cargo Coverage | $50,000–$100,000 | $100,000+ (adjusted for vehicle value) |
| Safety Rating | Basic rating check | Full FMCSA analysis + violation history |
| Authority Check | One-time verification | Continuous DOT/MC monitoring |
| Insurance Status | Uploaded certificate file | Live, ongoing certificate validation |
Compliance requirements also include active UCR registration, valid BOC-3 filing, and clean inspection records with low out-of-service ratios. Shipping a high-value vehicle? Cargo limits are checked against your car's value before assignment — see luxury vehicle transport.
What gets a carrier rejected or suspended
Vetting is as much about who we remove as who we approve. Any of these triggers disqualification or probation.
🚫 Compliance & Insurance Disqualifiers
- Lapsed or unverifiable insurance — cargo or liability
- Expired, revoked, or inactive DOT/MC authority
- Conditional or unsatisfactory FMCSA safety rating
- High out-of-service percentage — unsafe equipment or drivers
- Fraud indicators — mismatched certificates or inconsistent business details
⚠️ Performance & Conduct Disqualifiers
- Multiple recent claims, unresolved disputes, or damage patterns
- Last-minute cancellations or communication breakdowns
- Unverified driver identity or paperwork that doesn't match
- Equipment concerns — unsafe tie-downs, poor maintenance, non-compliant trailers
Vetting doesn't stop at approval
Every approved carrier is re-verified daily — because compliance is a status, not a certificate.
📡 Daily FMCSA Syncing
Safety scores, inspection results, and violation records are updated from federal data every day — new roadside violations, out-of-service orders, or authority changes trigger instant red flags.
🛡️ Live Insurance Monitoring
If a policy lapses or coverage drops below required limits, the carrier is automatically blocked from new loads the moment it happens — not when a customer finds out the hard way.
📊 Continuous Performance Scoring
On-time rates, delivery consistency, communication quality, and customer feedback feed a live performance score. Declining carriers are warned, suspended, or removed based on severity.
🔁 Suspension & Reinstatement Protocol
Suspended carriers must revalidate every document — authority, insurance, safety status — before re-entering the active network. No shortcuts back in.
How the right carrier gets your specific shipment
Approved isn't the same as right for your load. Assignment weighs fit, not just availability.
| Factor | Weight | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Performance Score | Very High | Reliability, communication, on-time history |
| Route Experience | High | Lane familiarity means predictable timing |
| Equipment Type Match | High | Open, enclosed, or winch — matched to the vehicle |
| Insurance Adequacy | High | Limits checked against the vehicle's value |
| Real-Time Proximity | Medium | Nearby carriers mean faster pickups |
This replaces the industry's "first driver who calls" approach — the fit is evaluated before the load is offered, not after problems appear.
What you see about your carrier — and how to verify it yourself
You always know exactly who is transporting your vehicle. And you don't have to take our word for any of it.
📋 Provided Before Pickup
- Carrier name & company details — the full DOT-registered business name
- DOT & MC numbers — so you can verify federal compliance independently
- Insurance certificate snapshot — active dates, liability limits, cargo coverage
- Safety rating overview — a simplified view of FMCSA safety performance
- Driver name & phone number prior to pickup
- Live tracking through Navi Track 360™ where available
🔍 Verify It Yourself in 2 Minutes
- Look up any carrier by DOT or MC number in the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot — the same federal database we sync against
- Check authority status — it should read "Authorized" with no revocations
- Confirm the company name matches the carrier we assigned, exactly
- Cross-check Navi too — our broker authority is MC 1646663 / DOT 4248916, verifiable in the same database
Seven steps from application to active network
Becoming a Navi-approved carrier is a documented workflow, not a sign-up form — and step seven never ends.
Application
Business details, DOT/MC numbers, contacts, and insurance documentation submitted for initial validation.
Authority & Compliance Review
FMCSA records, authority status, safety rating, and historical violation data are checked.
Insurance Verification
Cargo and liability policies authenticated, limits validated, exclusions reviewed — live monitoring activated immediately.
Driver & Equipment Review
Driver identity, CDL qualifications, and experience verified; trailer condition and tie-down safety assessed.
Claims & Performance Evaluation
Past performance, customer feedback, disputes, and claims activity analyzed for risk patterns.
Final Approval
Only after every safety, compliance, and insurance requirement is met does the carrier become eligible for loads.
Continuous Monitoring
FMCSA data, insurance status, and performance scores tracked daily. Any violation or lapse triggers immediate suspension.
Ship with a network that's verified every single day
Fully vetted carriers · Door-to-door · No upfront payment · Carrier details shared before pickup
Carrier vetting — common questions
Straight answers about how carriers are screened, monitored, and removed.