FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Owner Operators & Fleet Owners
What documents do I need to submit to apply?
To start the process please provide the following:
- Drivers license
- SSN card
- DOT Medical card (if applicable)
- Truck registration/cab card/or title
- IRS Form SS-4 with your company's EIN (if applicable)
- Proof of physical damage or bobtail insurance (if applicable)
- Annual vehicle inspection (if applicable)
- If you have your own drivers or team partners: their license, SSN and medical card and have them complete New Driver Application Process
Additional documents are required for truck registration if it is needed.
What is the owner operator gross revenue?
In our company there is no competition between owner operator trucks and our own trucks; our dispatchers work to get the best possible rates in the market for all trucks equally. Gross revenue depends on such factors as how long you stay on the road, how many miles you run, and the type of operations you choose. The usual average weekly gross is $4,000-10,000+, or even higher depending on the type of operations, whether you run with a reefer/flatbed/step-deck/or as a team. Click here to get an idea about average earnings.
What is the cost of CTA's services and what is included?
The cost of our services is 14% of the gross, so you get 86% of the gross load value. It includes 24/7/365 support from dispatch, accounting, safety and maintenance, use of our MC/DOT, factoring fees, fuel card, IFTA filing and reports, maintenance assistance, etc. Insurance is not included in the percentage and is charged as a separate weekly flat rate. Our service fee is non-negotiable.
Can I run under my own authority (MC)?
No. We currently only provide services under our authority, if you would like to work with CTA, you would need to run under our authority (MC/USDOT) and cannot use your own.
Can I use my own cargo/liability commercial insurance if I have my own MC?
We currently only provide services under our authority, therefore the commercial insurance has to be provided by us. Even if you want to keep your own authority while running under our MC, you still cannot use your commercial insurance. Insurance and MC are directly linked and are inseparable, so you cannot be running under one MC and using insurance of another MC, or vice versa.
You can however use your own physical damage, non-trucking liability or bobtail insurance. For clarification on various insurance types, click here.
Can I book my own loads or use my own Dispatch?
When your truck is under our MC, all loads must be booked and dispatched by our company. You cannot use your own dispatch for various reasons. First, our dispatchers are company employees and have access to our internal information, we cannot give that to third parties. Secondly, there is a huge level of responsibility associated with booking loads, broker relationships, safety and other crucial nuances. All dispatching activities must be done by CTA personnel only. Dispatch is one of the most important services we provide in our company, and we take pride in the competitive professionalism of our team, their proficient knowledge of the market, friendly approach and persistent consistency, which allows all trucks to be running to the best of their potential, resulting in stable operations and higher earnings. We advise you to trust our expertise in finding you the best loads and routes possible. All our dispatch is personalized and you can always discuss the load details and reject it reasonably.
If you have your own access to a load board, your own customers or a direct shipping contact, you are more than welcome to offer available freight to our dispatchers and they will book it for you, however, it shall not contradict your dispatcher's advice and we highly encourage you to trust their expertise when they make statements regarding the load or the market.
Does CTA provide fuel cards and/or fuel discounts?
Does CTA assist with IFTA?
We offer assistance in filing IFTA quarterly under our account, or we can also prepare IFTA reports for you to file it under your own IFTA account if you have one. If you are using our IFTA, you must also use our fuel card and provide receipts for all the fuel purchases you have made with personal or other funds. If you want to file your own IFTA you need to keep track of your fuel purchases, gallons and the amount of miles you have driven through each state where you fueled. You do not need to have a Motor Carier Authority to open your own IRP account and file your own IFTA.
What is Maintenance Assistance?
What does CTA's Safety department do?
Our safety managers' duty is to provide all trucks with permits, check driver log books, help with ELD issues, and work with DOT Requirements and Driver Qualification Files, which will include making sure that those on the road are meeting the FMCSA and DOT requirements, including drug tests, preparing the appropriate documentation, safety programs, orientation, addressing violations, paying citations and so on.
Does CTA use Electronic Logging Devices (ELD)?
CTA uses fully certified and compliant Electronic Logging Devices in all our trucks. All owner operators have to use our ELD system. Weekly subscription fee for our ELD services is $15. It is a direct responsibility of all the drivers to abide by the ELD rules and requirements without cheating and disconnecting the electronic device. Our ELD system customer service, safety managers and dispatchers are available 24/7 to advise on any hours of service or ELD questions.
How does CTA handle Detentions, Layovers and Lumpers?
How do I submit load-related paperwork?
What is the payment wait time?
We pay via direct deposit every week. The settlement week includes everything delivered from Monday till Sunday. For the first week of driving, you will get your statement with a break down of operations and supporting reports on Thursday of week 2, payroll for week 1 is done on Monday of Week 3 (7 days after the driving week is over). Those who have Bank of America receive their deposits on Monday by the end of the day, any other banks receive funds first thing Tuesday morning.

Do I need to get a trailer?
In most of our operations we do not require you to rent a trailer since we primarily perform Power Only or Drop-and-Hook operations which are free of charge.
We also provide trailers for rent: Dry van rental is $200/week (insurance for trailer is included in the rate).
If you are planning to get your own trailer we can refer you to some companies we get our Dry Vans from, such as Metro Trailers out of Georgia, and Dylan's Equipment Lease out of Illinois. For reefer trailers we can also recommend H&P Leasing out of Mississippi, Utility trailer lease in Florida and Cross Country Leasing in North Carolina.
How do I get truck registration (apportioned tag/license plate/IRP Account)?
We always recommend to get your own registration for the truck since this keeps you independent. Opening your own IRP account is a first step to take if you prefer stability and are planning to grow in the future. If you are a Florida resident, we can assist you with opening an IRP Account in the state of Florida under your name, this will be your own entity and you will be the account holder and owner of your registration plate. The amount of registration itself is determined at the DMV, it usually varies from $1,500-1,700 annually. We can assist you with preparing all documents for you and sending our company representative to the main DMV in St. Petersburg, FL to oper ann IRP account for you. CTA processing fee is $300 for transportation costs and service. We would require an upfront payment of $2,000 in order to create an IRP account for you, the receipt will be provided after registration and any outstanding amount will be settled in the first weekly statement.
For those who are residing out of state or do not have the required funds to pay for registration upfront, we can register your truck under our IRP account and provide financing for the amount of the registration, however, please keep in mind that upon termination of contract with CTA your registration will be deactivated and plate number will have to be retuned to the company. There are no refunds for registration even if terminated early. To find more about registration options, click here.
What insurance does CTA provide and what insurance do I need to get on my own?
There are 4 types of insurance that you need to have in order to perform commercial operations:
What steps do I need to follow if I do not have a truck?
1. You would need to find a leasing/finance company to get the truck from. We recommend Arrow Truck Sales, Vanguard, MHC, Schneider, Freightliner, Truck Country Iowa, Nextran. Most popular and convenient type of truck for owner operators and fleet owners is 2014-2019 Freightliner Cascadia with DD15 Detroit engine, however, we will welcome any other type of truck of any age, as long as it is in a good condition, well-maintained and in compliance with FMCSA and DOT requirements.
Tip: We do not recommend getting a truck with super single tires, they are not made for over-the-road operations. APU is a great feature to have on the truck but is not required. We do not recommend Internationals.
Most dealerships will require you to get bobtail insurance prior to releasing the truck to you.
After truck is released, make sure to get a copy of clean title or title transfer receipt from the dealer for truck registration purposes.
Dealer should also provide an annual vehicle inspection which will be one of the required documents for operations.
2. After truck and title are received, you will need to get set up with a motor carrier (CTA). Please provide required documents to your recruiter, after which you will receive a contract. Once the agreement is signed and any required downpayments are received, commercial insurance will be activated for your vehicle and it will be ready for registration.
3. Truck Registration: CTA can assist you with obtaining an apportioned plate for the truck.
4. If you are planning to drive the truck yourself, please proceed to New Driver Application Process. If not planning to drive the truck yourself, contact a CTA representative for further instructions.
If you are not intending to buy or lease a truck, you may be applying for a driver position.
Does CTA have a lease purchase program?
We do not offer a lease-purchase program at the moment. You may come with our own existing truck as an Owner Operator, or come on board as a company driver to operate one of CTA trucks.
We highly recommend you to look into Ryder and Nextran lease purchase programs. Schedule a meeting with us to find out more.
What are the next steps to apply to CTA?
1. If you do not have a truck yet, please click here.
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Leave your contact information or speak with a recruiter -
Provide Required documents -
Start the Application process -
Schedule a visit for Orientation and final set up
What is the weekly insurance rate?
The cost of insurance is $300 a week. Weekly insurance rate may be higher if driver has a bad driving record. Click here to find out more about what types of insurance are provided by CTA and included in this rate, as well as what other types of coverages you will need to obtain in the trucking business.
Is there a down-payment or any other upfront costs before beginning operations?
In order to add you and your truck to our fleet, we do require a down payment. However, we offer a financing option to assist new owner operators and investors.
Still got questions?
OWNER OPERATOR FAQ
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What are the next steps to apply to CTA?
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What documents do I need to submit to apply?
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What steps do I need to follow if I do not have a truck?
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What is the owner operator gross revenue?
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What is the cost of CTA's services and what is included?
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What insurance does CTA provide and what insurance do I need to get on my own?
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What is the weekly insurance rate?
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Is there a down-payment or any other upfront costs before beginning operations?
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How do I get truck registration (apportioned tag/license plate/IRP Account)?
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Do I need to get a trailer?
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Can I run under my own authority (MC)?
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Can I use my own cargo/liability commercial insurance if I have my own MC?
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Can I book my own loads or use my own Dispatch?
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Does CTA provide fuel cards and/or fuel discounts?
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Does CTA assist with IFTA?
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What is Maintenance Assistance?
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What does CTA's Safety department do?
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Does CTA use Electronic Logging Devices (ELD)?
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How does CTA handle Detentions, Layovers and Lumpers?
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How do I submit load-related paperwork?
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What is the payment wait time?
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Does CTA have a Lease Purchase program?