Weekly Operational Checklist for New Motor Carriers

Running a trucking company is a business, not just a driving job. The carriers who last are the ones who build consistent routines — not scrambling to reconstruct paperwork at quarter-end or discovering expired credentials at a roadside inspection.

This checklist gives you a structured rhythm for daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly tasks. If you’re still in launch mode, use it alongside the first 90 days checklist.

Daily Tasks

These happen every operating day, not occasionally:

Before your first move:

• Pre-trip inspection — Walk around the truck and trailer. Check lights, tires, brakes, coupling, fluid levels, mirrors, and load securement. Document the inspection. This is a federal requirement, and it protects you — a tire failure you missed at pre-trip is a breakdown on the road.
• ELD review — Confirm your ELD is connected, showing correct duty status, and your hours are accurately recorded from the previous day. Correct any duty status errors before you depart.
• Cab documents in order — Medical certificate current? IFTA decals on the truck? Registration and cab card present?

After delivery:

• Submit paperwork — Rate confirmation, BOL (signed), POD (consignee signature). Submit same day, every time. Don’t batch paperwork.
• Record the load — Revenue, broker name, load reference number, miles, any accessorials (detention, lumper reimbursement due).
• Post-trip inspection — Document any defects found after the trip. If defects require repair before the next trip, handle them — don’t just note them.

Fuel:

• Record every fuel purchase: date, location, state, gallons, amount. Your fuel card handles this automatically if you use it — but verify the data is being captured by state, not just as a total.

Weekly Tasks

Set aside 30–60 minutes once a week for administrative tasks:

Financial:

• Revenue review — What loads did you run this week? Total gross revenue?
• Expense entry — Enter any expenses not yet recorded: tolls, maintenance items, supplies.
• Fuel card reconciliation — Compare fuel card transactions to your own fuel log. Confirm state-by-state data is recording correctly.
• Outstanding invoices — What loads have you submitted paperwork for that haven’t been paid yet? Track by broker and date of submission.
• Follow up on 30-day invoices — Any invoices approaching 30 days without payment? Contact the broker’s AP department.

Operations:

• Hours planning — How many available driving hours do you have this week (70-hour rule)? Plan your loads to avoid burning out mid-week.
• Maintenance check — Any unusual sounds, warning lights, or minor issues noted this week that need attention before they become bigger problems?
• Schedule review — What loads are booked? What’s your pickup schedule and delivery windows?

Monthly Tasks

Once a month, step back from day-to-day operations:

Compliance:

• Verify authority status in SAFER — Confirm your MC and USDOT number still show Active, your address is current.
• Verify insurance in LMIA — Confirm your insurance filing is current and reflects any policy changes.
• CSA scores check — Review your SMS profile at ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/sms. Note any inspection results from the past month and whether violations were recorded correctly.
• Medical certificate expiration — When does your DOT physical expire? If within 60 days, schedule your next physical.
• IFTA mileage update — Confirm your state-by-state mileage tracking is current for the quarter’s filing.

Financial:

• Profit and loss review — Gross revenue — all expenses = net income for the month. Are you above or below break-even? Is the trend improving?
• Bank reconciliation — Every transaction in your bank statement should match your bookkeeping records.
• Estimated tax calculation — If quarterly estimated taxes are coming up, estimate what you owe. See Tax Basics for Trucking Companies.

Quarterly Tasks

IFTA return — File by the quarterly deadline (April 30, July 31, October 31, January 31 for the prior quarter). Export state mileage from your ELD and fuel by state from your fuel card. See IFTA for New Authorities.

Financial review — How did the quarter go versus your projections? Is your break-even sustainable? Are your rates keeping pace with fuel and expense changes?

Annual Tasks

UCR renewal — Opens October 1 for the following year. Complete early. See UCR Filing Guide.

IRP plate renewal — Based on your registration anniversary month. Submit actual mileage from the prior year.

IFTA decal renewal — Annual with your base state. New decals must be on the truck by January 1.

Insurance renewal — Your broker will contact you before renewal. Shop rates if you have a clean first year.

MCS-150 biennial update — Due every two years from your original registration date. Failure to update can result in USDOT number deactivation.

Form 2290 — HVUT due August 31 for most carriers for the July 1–June 30 tax year.

Annual MVR review — Pull a Motor Vehicle Record for yourself (and any employee drivers) annually and update the driver qualification file.

Annual Clearinghouse query — Conduct the annual limited query for each current driver.

See First Renewal and Filings Guide for a complete annual renewal calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to do a pre-trip inspection even on days I'm not hauling freight?

Pre-trip inspections are required before operating a CMV in interstate commerce. On a day you don't operate the vehicle, no inspection is required. But if you move the truck — even to reposition or pick up a load — a pre-trip is required before that first move.

How often should I check my CSA scores?

Monthly is a reasonable cadence for most new carriers. If you've recently had an inspection or roadside stop, check within a few days to see how the results were recorded. CSA data can take a few weeks to update after an inspection.

How long should all these tasks take each week?

Daily tasks (pre-trip, ELD, paperwork) are built into operations — maybe 30–60 minutes total per day. The weekly admin review takes 30–60 minutes on a slow day or evening. Monthly checks take about an hour. If you're spending significantly more time, consider whether your record-keeping system needs simplification.