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?

We provide company fuel cards (EFS), they have variable discounts that you can benefit from, they are automatically applied at the time of purchase. Using our fuel card also gives you the option to receive cash advance in reasonable amounts if needed. Our fuel card allows you to purchase scales, fluids, additives, and other truck-related materials. You do not have to use our fuel card if you do not want to. However, if you need assistance with IFTA, you are required to use our fuel card and provide receipts for all other fuel purchases you have made with personal funds.



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?

We have a team of full-time specialized mechanics who can provide their expertise in certain cases when it is needed, for example, when your truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere and you do not know the issue that caused it or how to fix it. Such situations may often wear out your nerves and cause you to lose a lot of time and money. For your convenience, we offer Maintenance Assistance service, which means that you or the driver can contact our mechanic specialist at any time of the day so he can diagnose the issue, help to fix it over the phone if it is something simple, or call around to find the best, closest and cheapest place to get repaired, making sure the shop has the right parts and is able to perform the necessary services. In some situations, we could also give an advance for repairs in reasonable amounts. Certain parts and tires could also be supplied by CTA at discounted fleet prices.



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?

Detention and layover pay is determined solely by the broker. In order to get compensated for detentions, all requirements must be complied with accordingly. There is a standard procedure for tracking detention: after 2 hours of waiting driver must text the dispatcher that they are still waiting, after that the dispatcher will request detention from the broker. Typically brokers pay $25 per hour up to 6 hours and after that they will pay a flat rate of $150 for layover. It also happens that brokers refuse to pay detention/layover and unfortunately this is a risk we all bear in this business. Our dispatchers work hard to make sure all detentions and layovers are compensated whenever possible. Lumpers are typically compensated by the broker. If there is a lumper fee we always request the broker to pay for it. If they do not have that option or do not answer, we will open a cash advance/money code/check for you to pay for it. If for any reason you had to pay for the lumper yourself, please notify your dispatcher immediately and provide the receipt so we can get it reimbursed by the broker.



How do I submit load-related paperwork?

Upon delivery it is extremely important to send clear pictures of all pages of the BOL to accounting. For best results download a free phone application called CamScanner by clicking here. For original paperwork we provide Trip Pak envelopes, they are prepaid, all you have to do is put all your paperwork in it and drop it off at a designated drop box on a truck stop once every week. Paperwork should include the following: Originals of BOLs with all supporting items such as lumpers, scale tickets, fuel receipts, logs, repair receipts, inspections, etc.



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: ​​ 1. Cargo insurance This type of insurance protects the load that you carry. For example if you got into an accident and the load shifted; or let's say if you were pulling a reefer unit with ice-cream inside, the unit broke down and the ice cream melted, etc. As a motor carrier responsible for the loads we book and haul, we provide you with this type of insurance. This type of insurance goes side by side with auto liability insurance. ​ 2. Auto Liability This is the most important and expensive type of insurance, it covers the damages your truck may cause to other people or surroundings up to a million dollars. For example, if you got into an accident and damaged somebody else's car; or if you hit a bridge and caused damage to the bridge/road, etc. As a motor carrier responsible for operations, we provide you with this type of insurance. 3. Physical Damage insurance ​ This type of insurance protects you in case there is a physical damage caused to your truck. For example if there is an accident that caused a dent in your bumper; or if a fence fell on the truck and scratched it, etc. Since it is your equipment, you are responsible to get this type of insurance. Annual cost of physical damage insurance is usually between 6-10% of the value of your truck. For example if you truck is worth $30,000, your yearly premium will be about $1800. Insurance companies will usually require 25% of this amount as a down payment and finance the remaining for you into monthly payments. ​ 4. Non-trucking liability ​ This type of insurance would cover your liability if the truck is used for non-business purposes. For example, when you are off the road, are not under dispatch, and decide to use your truck for personal reasons, i.e. to go to a store, etc., and damage somebody else's car or property, this type of insurance will protect you. You are responsible for this type of insurance. This coverage cannot be provided by us since this is outside of our operations. ​ Bobtail insurance: is a coverage that combines physical damage and non-trucking liability for owner operators. We recommend the following companies to obtain bobtail insurance:



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 2013-2018 Freightliner Cascadia with 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.

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. 2. If you have a truck but do not have a tag, click here. 3. If you have a truck, it has an apportioned plate, but you are not planning to drive it yourself, these are your following steps:

4. If you have a truck, it is registered, and you are planning to drive it yourself, here are the next steps:



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. The amount of a set up down payment is $1000 annually per truck. A minimum of 25% of the down payment needs to be received upfront ($250). Set Up Downpayment is non-refundable and needs to be paid once a year. It covers the costs of adding your equipment to our policy (insurance agent compensation), as well as any other administrative fees associated with the set up process for the truck (decals, permits, IFTA stickers, ELD installation, etc) and driver set up fees (drug tests, MVRs, DOT reports, previous emplyment verification, etc). Another upfront expense that you may require would be for truck resigtration if it is needed. Please click here to find out about registration and costs associated with it. Click here to see a schedule of one time down payments and security deposits.



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