# Trucking Authority University (Powered by QP Trucking Solutions)

> Free education for the paperwork side of trucking. Free educational lessons, compliance web articles, and live FMCSA USDOT/MC readiness checks for prospective and active motor carrier owners nationwide.

## Key Facts & Offer Rules
- **Organization**: Trucking Authority University, powered by QP Trucking Solutions (private third-party back-office service provider; not affiliated with USDOT or FMCSA).
- **Lead Instructor**: Brandon Bennett
- **Contact**: 833-ROAD-HOG (833-762-3464) | info@QPTrucking.com | Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM ET
- **Education Cost**: $0 — all 10 University lessons, all 12 Web Articles, and the live USDOT/MC Readiness Check are free and ungated.
- **QP Processing Fee Tiers**: Standard schedule (everyone), 50% Discounted tier (QP factoring OR QP insurance clients + Nation's Largest Fuel Discount Network), and Circle Network (QP factoring PLUS preferred insurance vendor — waives most published QP processing fees; New Authority Application Circle pricing confirmed with rep).
- **Government Fees**: Always separate from QP processing fees and paid directly to federal/state agencies.

## Core Pages
- [Home](https://freeauthority.com/): Program overview, offer terms in plain language, instructor intro, FAQs, consultation request
- [Free Authority Setup & Fee Schedule](https://freeauthority.com/free-authority-setup): Complete 14-service QP processing fee schedule across all 3 tiers
- [Circle Network](https://freeauthority.com/circle-network): How factoring + preferred insurance waives most compliance processing fees
- [University Lesson Library](https://freeauthority.com/university): 10 illustrated lessons across 4 stages
- [Web Articles & Guides](https://freeauthority.com/articles): 12 in-depth regulatory and operational guides
- [Already Applied — Free Readiness Check](https://freeauthority.com/already-applied): Live public FMCSA SAFER & Census lookup tool
- [Contact](https://freeauthority.com/contact): Free consultation across all 50 US states and DC

## University Curriculum (10 Free Illustrated Lessons)
- [Lesson 1.1: Authority or lease-on? The launch decision](https://freeauthority.com/university/authority-or-lease-on): The first fork in the road for every new owner-operator: run under your own authority or lease on to an established carrier. What each path means for your pay, your paperwork and your risk.
- [Lesson 1.2: What it really costs to start](https://freeauthority.com/university/what-it-really-costs-to-start): A straight look at startup costs — entity, authority, insurance, plates and the deposits nobody warns you about — so you can budget before you commit.
- [Lesson 1.3: USDOT vs. operating authority](https://freeauthority.com/university/usdot-vs-operating-authority): Two numbers, two different jobs. What a USDOT number does, what an MC number adds, and which one(s) your operation actually needs.
- [Lesson 2.1: Getting insurance-ready](https://freeauthority.com/university/getting-insurance-ready): Why insurers ask what they ask, what makes a new carrier look risky, and how to walk into a quote prepared instead of panicked.
- [Lesson 2.2: Your paperwork readiness checklist](https://freeauthority.com/university/your-paperwork-readiness-checklist): The documents to have in hand before you touch an application — from your EIN and entity paperwork to vehicle and driver details.
- [Lesson 2.3: BOC-3, explained](https://freeauthority.com/university/boc-3-explained): What a process agent actually does, why FMCSA won't activate interstate authority without one, and how the filing works.
- [Lesson 3.1: Getting set up to get paid](https://freeauthority.com/university/getting-set-up-to-get-paid): The payment side of your first loads: invoicing, quick-pay vs. factoring, and the documents brokers will ask for before they book you.
- [Lesson 3.2: Broker review: protecting your load](https://freeauthority.com/university/broker-review-protecting-your-load): How to check a broker before you haul — authority, credit days and the red flags that suggest a load isn't worth the risk.
- [Lesson 4.1: Build your compliance calendar](https://freeauthority.com/university/build-your-compliance-calendar): UCR, MCS-150, IFTA, Form 2290, renewals — the deadlines that repeat every year, and a simple calendar that keeps them from sneaking up on you.
- [Lesson 4.2: Understanding the Circle Network offer](https://freeauthority.com/university/understanding-the-circle-network-offer): How QP's processing-fee waivers work, who qualifies for each tier, and what Circle Network membership means for your filing costs.

## Web Articles & Compliance Guides (12 Pillar & Cluster Guides)
- [How to Get Your Own Trucking Authority: Step-by-Step Guide](https://freeauthority.com/articles/how-to-get-trucking-authority): Every step required to go from business formation to an active FMCSA operating authority without costly sequence mistakes or application dismissals.
- [USDOT Number vs. MC Number: Complete Carrier Guide](https://freeauthority.com/articles/usdot-vs-mc-number-guide): Understand when a USDOT safety number stands alone, when interstate operating authority (MC) is mandatory, and how weight and cargo rules interact.
- [What Is a BOC-3 Filing? Process Agents Explained for New Carriers](https://freeauthority.com/articles/boc-3-process-agent-filing-guide): Why every interstate motor carrier, broker, and freight forwarder needs a BOC-3 on file with FMCSA—and how electronic blanket coverage works.
- [Commercial Truck Insurance Requirements & Filing Guide (BMC-91 / BMC-34)](https://freeauthority.com/articles/commercial-truck-insurance-requirements): Decode federal minimum liability schedules, broker cargo expectations, electronic insurer filings, and practical ways new carriers control insurance costs.
- [IFTA Fuel Tax & IRP Apportioned Plates: Complete Setup & Quarterly Guide](https://freeauthority.com/articles/ifta-and-irp-plates-guide): How IRP apportioned registration and quarterly IFTA fuel-tax reporting work across all 48 contiguous US states and 10 Canadian provinces.
- [UCR Registration, Biennial MCS-150 Update & IRS Form 2290 HVUT Guide](https://freeauthority.com/articles/ucr-mcs-150-form-2290-compliance-guide): Clear rules, exact deadlines, USDOT digit formulas, and weight triggers for UCR, MCS-150, and IRS Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax.
- [Forming a Trucking LLC, Getting an IRS EIN & Opening a Business Bank Account](https://freeauthority.com/articles/trucking-llc-and-ein-setup-guide): Build your authority on a rock-solid legal foundation: home-state LLC formation, registered agents, IRS EIN matching rules, and business banking.
- [Freight Factoring vs. Broker Quick-Pay: Cash Flow Guide for Carriers](https://freeauthority.com/articles/freight-factoring-vs-quick-pay-guide): Keep diesel in your tanks and cash in your business account: an honest look at how factoring, broker quick-pay, and direct invoicing compare.
- [FMCSA New Entrant Safety Audit Checklist, Drug Consortium & Driver Qualification Files](https://freeauthority.com/articles/new-entrant-dot-safety-audit-checklist): Every folder, form, and automatic-failure trap examiners inspect during your first 12 months on the road—even if you are a solo one-truck owner-operator.
- [SCAC Codes, Carrier Packets & Vetting Freight Brokers Before Your First Load](https://freeauthority.com/articles/scac-code-and-broker-packet-guide): Win loads faster, unlock port/rail/border freight with a SCAC code, and protect your company against identity spoofing and unpaid miles.
- [Trucking Company Startup Costs Breakdown: One-Time Filings, Plates & Working Capital](https://freeauthority.com/articles/trucking-company-startup-costs-breakdown): Plan every dollar before you commit: a transparent item-by-item look at startup registrations, insurance deposits, apportioned plates, and operating reserves.
- [Already Applied for Authority? Why FMCSA Authorities Sit Pending & How to Activate Fast](https://freeauthority.com/articles/activate-pending-trucking-authority-guide): Already filed your USDOT/MC application and wondering why you still can't book loads? Fix the four exact bottlenecks that freeze pending applications.

## Complete Reference
- [Full LLM Knowledge Index](https://freeauthority.com/llms-full.txt)