How DOTScreener Works
Three steps — review, verify, document — produce a tamper-evident record of every tender decision before the load moves.
Why DOTScreener Exists
On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9–0 in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II that freight brokers owe a duty of reasonable care when selecting carriers. Documented carrier-review procedures matter more than ever.
The Need
Without a record at the moment of tender, the diligence is hard to reconstruct accurately later. Capturing it as part of the workflow keeps it contemporaneous and consistent.
The Approach
DOTScreener produces a timestamped, tamper-evident operational record automatically on every load — with zero friction for your dispatch team.
Review the Carrier
Enter an MC or DOT number. DOTScreener pulls live FMCSA data from four endpoints in parallel and delivers a complete operational review profile in under 60 seconds.
All four queries run simultaneously. Results are scored against your brokerage’s configurable screening policy — you set the thresholds for every check. Each produces a pass, warn, or fail so your team gets a clear recommendation, not raw data.
Every data point is timestamped at retrieval — the screen captures what FMCSA reported at the time you made the decision, not what the database shows weeks later.
Carrier Signs the Safety Attestation
The carrier receives one email with one link. No account, no login, no uploads. The attestation is built from the screen — a mandatory core set plus checks matched to its specific concerns — one signature, done.
The attestation is built from the screen
Every carrier signs a mandatory core set. DOTScreener then adds targeted checks onlyfor the specific concerns your screening surfaced — so the carrier confirms exactly what’s relevant, not generic boilerplate.
The Attestation Gate
This is server-enforced — not a checkbox your team can skip. A screen cannot be marked APPROVED until the carrier’s signature lands. If your team is ever deposed, the system architecture itself proves the attestation was collected before the screen moved to APPROVED status.
Carrier Selection Defense Packet
The moment you approve the load, DOTScreener auto-generates a single tamper-evident PDF — everything bundled into one documented diligence record.
If a claim ever lands, you hand your insurer or attorney one clean PDF. The hash chain proves the record was assembled contemporaneously and has not been altered. No scrambling, no missing attestations, no gaps.
The Hash-Chained Audit Trail
Every event is cryptographically linked. Alter one record and the entire chain breaks — visible to anyone who checks.
Same tamper-evidence property as blockchain systems, without the complexity. Each Carrier Selection Defense Packet includes the full chain for independent verification by any party.
16 Safety Checks Per Screen
Each check produces a pass, warn, or fail result based on thresholds you configure in your brokerage’s screening policy.
The policy is yours to own — DOTScreener enforces it consistently across every dispatcher on your team.
What DOTScreener Does & Doesn’t Do
What it does
- Screens carriers against live FMCSA data in seconds
- Surfaces insurance term-end dates and filing history
- Pulls 389k+ OOS records on every screen
- Collects carrier compliance confirmations
- Auto-generates tamper-evident Carrier Selection Defense Packets
- Issues branded Compliance Confirmation Certificates
- Detects broker-only entities (double-broker flag)
- Builds SHA-256 hash-chained audit trails
- Driver ID Verification — license photo + face capture
- Configurable risk thresholds for every data point
- TMS Integration API for programmatic screening
What it is not
- Not a cargo-theft prevention platform
- Not continuous monitoring — point-in-time snapshot
- Not a carrier directory or load board
- Not a crash prediction engine
- Not legal advice or a legal guarantee
Simple, Transparent Pricing
14-day free trial on every plan. No credit card required.
View all plans — 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a carrier screen take?
Under 60 seconds. DOTScreener pulls FMCSA data from four endpoints in parallel — QCMobile, L&I filings, the OOS order feed, and Census — so the full report loads in a single pass.
Does the carrier need to create an account?
No. The carrier receives one email with one link. They review the attestation built for that screen — a mandatory core set every carrier signs, plus any checks tied to the specific concerns the screening surfaced — sign once, and they're done. No account, no login, no uploads. The broker already has their COI on file.
What happens if the carrier doesn't sign the attestation?
Inside DOTScreener, the screen cannot be marked APPROVED — the diligence-file artifact — until the carrier's signature lands. This is server-enforced and applies to DOTScreener's approval state, not to your underlying dispatch system. The result is a clean evidentiary record that you did not move the load to APPROVED status in your diligence file without the attestation in hand.
What is the Carrier Selection Defense Packet?
A single tamper-evident PDF auto-generated the moment you approve the load. It bundles the FMCSA snapshot, insurance filing history, OOS order records, the carrier's signed attestation, and a SHA-256 hash-chained audit trail. If a claim ever lands, you hand your insurer or attorney one clean document.
What does 'hash-chained audit trail' mean?
Every event in a screening — data pull, risk evaluation, attestation signature, approval — is hashed with SHA-256 and linked to the previous event's hash. If anyone altered or deleted an event after the fact, the chain would break. This gives the record the same tamper-evidence property used in blockchain systems, without the complexity.
Where does DOTScreener get its data?
All carrier data is pulled live from the FMCSA at the moment of screening. DOTScreener queries QCMobile (safety scores, crash and inspection history), L&I (insurance filings with expiration dates), the Out-of-Service order feed (389k+ records), and Census (authority status, entity type). No cached databases, no stale snapshots.
Is there a per-screen fee?
Starter is $99/month (25 screens), Professional is $149/month (300 screens, unlimited users), and Defense / Enterprise is $499/month (1,000 screens, API access). Every plan includes a 14-day free trial — no credit card required.
Does DOTScreener replace our TMS or load board?
No. DOTScreener is a carrier-selection documentation tool. It runs alongside your existing TMS and load board — you screen the carrier, collect the attestation, and the defense packet is generated. It does not manage loads, track shipments, or replace any part of your dispatch workflow.
Document your diligence on every load.
Screen carriers, collect attestations, and auto-generate tamper-evident defense packets — all in under 60 seconds.
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