# FMCSA Carrier Scraper: USDOT & Trucking Companies (`responsible_front_evw/us-trucking-companies-fmcsa`) Actor

US trucking companies and motor carriers from the official FMCSA Census, no API key. USDOT lookup, or filter by state, city, ZIP, cargo, fleet size, hazmat, authority and registration date. Safety rating, website domain, suspect-fleet flag. Sole proprietors filtered out. No officer names or phones.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/responsible_front_evw/us-trucking-companies-fmcsa.md
- **Developed by:** [Open Data Tools](https://apify.com/responsible_front_evw) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Business, Automation
- **Security:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## FMCSA Carrier Scraper: USDOT & Trucking Companies

Get US motor carriers from the **FMCSA Company Census File**, the official register of every company with a USDOT number, published daily by the U.S. Department of Transportation on its **open data portal** (data.transportation.gov). No API key, no login, no scraping of FMCSA web pages.

**Companies only, no contacts.** Sole proprietors (whose legal name is a person's name) are filtered out. Officer names, phone, fax and mobile numbers are never requested from the API. The email on file is read only to keep the **company website domain** (free webmail like Gmail or Yahoo is dropped) and is never returned: you get the domain in about 10 to 26% of rows in our tests. Small one- or two-truck operators, and addresses with an apartment, unit or lot number, come without house number: most rows in our tests (932 of 1,000 in California).

### What you can do

- **New trucking companies:** every carrier registered in the last N days in a state, with fleet, cargo and authority. Schedule it daily with *Only new since last run* and you do not pay twice for the same company.
- **Market lists by state, cargo and fleet:** all refrigerated carriers in Florida with 10+ trucks, all intermodal carriers in Georgia with MC authority, all hazmat carriers in Texas, sorted by fleet size.
- **USDOT lookup:** paste up to 500 USDOT numbers and get status, fleet, drivers, cargo, safety rating, MC/MX numbers and a link to the official SAFER snapshot. Sole proprietors and names without a legal form are skipped, so many numbers can return no row (in one test of 354 older carriers, 166 were skipped).
- **Filters:** state, city, ZIP prefix, name contains, active only, operation (interstate / intrastate), classification (authorized for hire, private property, exempt...), 30 cargo types, hazmat, MC/MX docket, min/max power units, min drivers, registered since / in the last N days, MCS-150 updated since.

### Input example

```json
{
  "states": ["TX"],
  "addedWithinDays": 30,
  "classifications": ["AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE"],
  "maxItems": 100
}
```

### Output example (shortened)

```json
{
  "dotNumber": "41648",
  "legalName": "CHENEY BROTHERS INC",
  "entityType": "Corporation",
  "status": "Active",
  "activeDocketNumbers": ["MC-895890"],
  "carrierOperation": "Interstate",
  "classifications": ["Private Property", "Authorized For Hire"],
  "hazmat": false,
  "powerUnits": 753,
  "drivers": 975,
  "fleetDataSuspicious": false,
  "annualMiles": 36175256,
  "cargo": ["General freight", "Fresh produce", "Meat", "Refrigerated food", "Beverages"],
  "street": "1 CHENEY WAY",
  "streetPrecision": "FULL",
  "city": "RIVIERA BEACH",
  "state": "FL",
  "zip": "33404-7000",
  "websiteDomain": "cheneybrothers.com",
  "dunsNumber": "32831471",
  "addedAt": "1974-06-01",
  "mcs150UpdatedAt": "2026-09-08",
  "safetyRating": "Satisfactory",
  "saferUrl": "https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/query.asp?searchtype=ANY&query_type=queryCarrierSnapshot&query_param=USDOT&query_string=41648",
  "source": "FMCSA Company Census File (U.S. Department of Transportation), data.transportation.gov, public domain"
}
```

`streetPrecision` is `FULL`, `PO_BOX` or `STREET_NAME_ONLY` (house number and unit removed). `fleetDataSuspicious` is `true` when the self-reported fleet does not match the drivers (for example 10,000 trucks and 2 drivers): those numbers are typing errors in the filing.

### Pricing

Pay per result:

| Event | Price |
|---|---|
| Actor start | $0.00005 |
| Each company returned | $0.002 ($2 per 1,000) |

Sole proprietors and already-seen carriers (in alert mode) are skipped and never charged.

### How it works and limits

- Data comes from the FMCSA Company Census File (dataset `az4n-8mr2`) through the open Socrata API of data.transportation.gov, with at least 1 second between requests, as the portal's robots.txt asks.
- Sole proprietors are detected by the business type in the census or, when it is missing (most records), by the absence of a legal form (LLC, Inc, Corp, Co, Ltd, LP...) or public body in the name. Some small businesses without a legal form in their name are therefore skipped too.
- The sole proprietor filter is automatic: one with a company word in its name can get through.
- A company named after its founder (for example "JOHN SMITH TRUCKING LLC") is a legal entity and is returned with its legal name.
- DBA names are returned as filed and can be a person's name.
- A carrier with 3 or more vehicles comes with its full street, even if the address is a home.
- The website domain comes from the email filed with FMCSA. It can belong to a parent company or a filing agent, or be a typing error (in one test, 2 of 262 were misspelt webmail such as gmai.com). Check it before use.
- Alert mode saves what it has seen when a run finishes: if a run is aborted or times out, rows it already returned can come again in the next run and are charged again.
- Fleet, drivers and mileage are self-reported by each carrier on the MCS-150 form and can be outdated.
- No insurance or inspection data: this Actor covers the census only.
- If the API fails and no company could be read, the run ends as **failed** with a clear message. A search with no matches ends as succeeded with 0 results.

### Source and legal

Data: FMCSA Company Census File, U.S. Department of Transportation, data.transportation.gov. Works of the U.S. federal government are in the public domain in the United States. This Actor is not affiliated with or endorsed by FMCSA or the U.S. Department of Transportation, and it does not use their logos.

### FAQ

#### Is there an FMCSA API?

Yes, the FMCSA Company Census is open data on data.transportation.gov. This Actor queries it for you: filters, USDOT lookup, clean rows and exports to Excel, CSV or JSON.

#### Can I look up carriers by USDOT number?

Yes. Paste a list of USDOT numbers, or search by state, city, ZIP, cargo, fleet size and registration date.

#### Can I get new trucking companies every day?

Yes. Use the registration date filter or the "only new since last run" mode and schedule it daily.

#### Why no phone numbers, emails or officer names?

To leave out people's contact data. You get the company, its fleet, cargo, safety rating and, when available, its website domain. Sole proprietors are filtered out.

#### How much does it cost?

$2 per 1,000 companies.

### Questions or a missing field?

Open an issue in the **Issues** tab. Feature requests are welcome.

# Actor input Schema

## `states` (type: `array`):

Two-letter codes of the carrier's physical address, for example TX, CA, FL, OH. Leave empty for the whole US.

## `cities` (type: `array`):

Optional: exact city names as filed with FMCSA, for example HOUSTON, DALLAS. Combine with a state to avoid homonyms.

## `zipPrefixes` (type: `array`):

Optional: ZIP codes or their first digits, for example 770 (Houston area) or 33101.

## `dotNumbers` (type: `array`):

Optional: look up these USDOT numbers (up to a few hundred per run). Combine with 'Only active carriers' = off to also get inactive ones.

## `nameContains` (type: `string`):

Optional: text in the legal or DBA name, for example LOGISTICS, COLD, EXPRESS.

## `activeOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Only USDOT numbers with status 'Active' in the census.

## `addedWithinDays` (type: `integer`):

Optional: only carriers whose USDOT number was added in the last N days (new trucking companies). The census is updated daily.

## `addedSince` (type: `string`):

Optional: only carriers added on or after this date, YYYY-MM-DD.

## `updatedSince` (type: `string`):

Optional: only carriers that updated their MCS-150 registration form on or after this date, YYYY-MM-DD.

## `classifications` (type: `array`):

Optional: keep carriers with any of these classifications.

## `carrierOperations` (type: `array`):

Optional: interstate, intrastate hazmat or intrastate non-hazmat.

## `cargoTypes` (type: `array`):

Optional: keep carriers that haul any of these cargo types.

## `hazmatOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Only hazmat carriers.

## `withOperatingAuthorityOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Keeps carriers that have at least one operating-authority docket number.

## `minPowerUnits` (type: `integer`):

Minimum power units (trucks/tractors).

## `maxPowerUnits` (type: `integer`):

Maximum power units.

## `minDrivers` (type: `integer`):

Minimum drivers.

## `sortBy` (type: `string`):

Sort by.

## `onlyNewSinceLastRun` (type: `boolean`):

Skip carriers this same search already returned in earlier runs, so you do not pay twice for the same company. Ideal for a daily schedule.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of companies to return (you pay per company).

## `maxScannedRows` (type: `integer`):

Safety limit on rows read from the census, including skipped sole proprietors and already-seen carriers.

## `requestDelaySecs` (type: `integer`):

Minimum 1 second (the open data portal asks for 1 second between requests).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "states": [
    "TX"
  ],
  "activeOnly": true,
  "addedWithinDays": 30,
  "hazmatOnly": false,
  "withOperatingAuthorityOnly": false,
  "sortBy": "newest",
  "onlyNewSinceLastRun": false,
  "maxItems": 100,
  "maxScannedRows": 5000,
  "requestDelaySecs": 2
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

No description

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "states": [
        "TX"
    ],
    "addedWithinDays": 30
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("responsible_front_evw/us-trucking-companies-fmcsa").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "states": ["TX"],
    "addedWithinDays": 30,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("responsible_front_evw/us-trucking-companies-fmcsa").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "states": [
    "TX"
  ],
  "addedWithinDays": 30
}' |
apify call responsible_front_evw/us-trucking-companies-fmcsa --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,responsible_front_evw/us-trucking-companies-fmcsa"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/gpYWY2cKESsSjqXSW/builds/d9UcKkWK5KaFMNAn8/openapi.json