getting my own authority any good one stop shop companies out there?

There are many, cost around 1000 bucks,they will put in the random drug test pool also.

 

OOIDA is about $300 for doing the paperwork for you.

 

Get an OOIDA membership. Among benefits such as Drug testing consortium, free business advice, and discounts, you also have someone there to help you through the process the whole way. Between OOIDA and this forum, you'd be wasting your money dumping a grand on something you can do yourself in a few hours. Another reason to do it yourself is so you get an understanding of what the processes are... you'll need to know that stuff for later when time to renew, or just manage your business in general. Good luck to you, regardless of what you decide to do.

 

OOIDA doesn't mark-up or make a profit on the process... the fees are passed through from the feds, state, etc. except for the drug testing consortium $75 a year I think, then UCR $75 annually per unit, and the filing / application fee for your MC authority.

 

Lets start here $76 for UCR can do it on the net your self, MC# $300 takes about 15 min on the net, f.i.n. takes only about 15 min on the net again do it yourself. No matter haow you get your MC# it will be no less than 3 weeks before they will mail your letter of authority so you can operate, don't get insurance until after 2 weeks of filing cause you can't use it and no sence of paying out $2000 down payment and a month payment and can't use it. there are plenty of places for the drug testing, we use MANN consulting in Elizabethtown, Ky $25 a year adn $25 per test and no running around a large city trying to find a place to get tested, very easy to work with. This is all a very simply prosses and no need to pay someone to get this done. Just my 2 cents, always available for free advice

 

If you apply for your DOT the phone starts ringing from companys that do this but there is real good advice above about OOIDA, join them and keep up with trucking news, it's worth the money.....

 

I would not pay someone for something you can do yourself. You can go online and do everything. It is actually a fairly simple process. Authority only costs $300, as someone else stated. I am surprised that you could get an IFTA account without having your authority or running under someone else. Once you get your authority you should make sure that you don't need to make changes to your IFTA account. OODIA is a very good resource for drivers, owner operators and independents. I am a lifetime member. I think that it is money well spent. By the way, once you get your authority, you no longer need bobtail insurance unless you lease your own truck to your company.