Where to Get Your SCAC

[Nette]

SCAC or Standard Carrier Alpha Code is a system that assigns unique 2-to-4 letter codes to transportation companies for identification purposes.

Not all motor carriers are required to possess an SCAC code, and the DOT, or any other government agency, will not shut down or fine a carrier simply because the motor carrier is not in possession of an SCAC code. There are no regulations requiring compliance with SCAC documentation and registration.

The SCAC application fee is $68.00 U.S. funds if drawn on a U.S. bank. Applications are available online and can be renewed at NMFTA.org or be paid by credit card and faxed to (703) 683-6296 or 6046, or mailed to:

National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.
1001 N. Fairfax St., Suite 600
Alexandria, VA 22314

For any questions: Contact NMFTA at (703) 838-1831


Source: JJKeller.com

[SBTC]

Banned for forum violation by posting links, self serving advertising and for signing up under 2 different names. This is paramount to spamming. Some of your statements can be easily misconstrued, and you have not disclosed that you have a relationship with "Dot Authority". I noticed your "Dot Authority" username was also banned from at least one other Trucking Forum.

If you would like to provide us with a unaltered copy of the email in question, and an unaltered copy of the JJ Keller article, we will post them both, so our users can make up their own mind as to whether or not there was any intentional misconduct by you (dot authority) or JJ Keller. Admin

[DOTAuthority]

Banned for forum violation by posting links, self serving advertising and for signing up under 2 different names. This is paramount to spamming. I noticed your "Dot Authority" username was also banned from at least one other Trucking Forum. You reference "email below is not a scam", but did not provide a copy of that email.

If you would like to provide us with a unaltered copy of the email in question, and an unaltered copy of the JJ Keller article, we will post them both, so our users can make up their own mind as to whether or not there was any intentional misconduct by you (dot authority) or JJ Keller. Admin

[Admin]

SCAC or Standard Carrier Alpha Code is a system that assigns unique 2-to-4 letter codes to transportation companies for identification purposes.

Source: JJKeller.com

Nette, your title should reflect your post.


Your title indicates that one should be aware of a SCAC scam, but your post does not mention anything about an SCAC scam, it explains what the SCAC is and how to obtain one. I would recommend that you change your title to better reflect your post. Perhaps something like "Where to Get Your SCAC"


I looked into this a little, and unfortunately, the Keller newsletter article you referred to has been removed, so I was only able to read the beginning teaser in their newsletter. But I did do further research and it appears that a private company called "DOT Authority" sent out a mass emailing offering their services at a higher price than the same service (or similar) at the actual governing agencies. The email was written in such a way, that at least some of the recipients thought that "DOT Authority" was the official DOT. I have not seen their email, but I have gotten similar emails/letters from other companies. Although they may have been somewhat misleading in wording, to their credit, they usually did not come right out and lie and in some part of the email/letter they did disclose that they are a business and not the official organization.


Apparently someone (article writer) at JJ Keller referred to this type of email as a "scam" in that newsletter article. Although I can see why some might see this as a scam, I do not agree, since they apparently do provide the service, all be it at a higher price. They have a right to charge whatever they can get for those services.


That said, it still would be prudent to do your home work before doing business with "DOT Authority" and other companies like them, who send out unsolicited emails or letters. The reason is simple. When you actively seek out a company you basically do a little research, but when you get an unsolicited email or letter, chances are you have not done your homework and know little to nothing at all about that company. The charges are almost always higher, but depending on how much higher, they may very well be worth the extra cost.


By the way, I found that "DOT Authority" has an C+ rating at the New York City BBB. http://www.bbb.org/new-york-city/bus...auge-ny-87490/. and an F rating at the South East Florida BBB. http://www.bbb.org/south-east-florid...ea-fl-90073079. There are several complaints pertaining to "Advertising / Sales Issues", that indicating that the company's correspondence has led, at least some people, to think they are the official DOT. Following is a copy of the beginning of a couple of BBB complaints with their links, so you can judge for yourself. Just click on the "+" sign and then "Read Complaint Details" at either BBB location. JJ Keller has a BBB rating of A+.


"
This company sends out emails and makes you think that they in fact ARE the DOT and that you need to fill out their paperwork to become compliant.
The unsolicitated emails I received made it seem as if the email were coming from the DOT and paying the $25 fee was necessary to file. After I submitted and realized what these people were doing I called the DOT and they said everything was free. Such a scam and they won't refund money. They are scam artists collecting $25 a pop when people are concerned about compliance.
Very unhappy.
"
- See more at: http://www.bbb.org/south-east-florid...ints#breakdown



"
Complaint: I called this business on the ***** to ask about getting my US DOT # for my business,( i got there ***** # from a friend of the family) i spoke with a rep named ****** on 5/**/2014 about getting my dot # and ucr registration. she told me it would cost $300.00 for the dot # and $187.00 for the ucr registration, i then asked if there was any other service where i could get this done or do it on line myself because it sounded very expensive and she told me that the pricing would be the same no matter where i got it done and said she could do it for me right then and there and have my information (dot #s and ucr registration) within 15 minutes. so beleiving that that was gonna be the cost that the state charged for this stuff i went ahead and used there services. The only thing that came within 15 minutes was a bill for $487.00 to be billed to my debit/credit card. I had to call her back and get her to send my #s. the following day i learned that i was over charged and that i should contact the state of michigan about it. (I thought that ****** worked for the state of michigan) so i did get hold of state of michigan public service commision dept. of licensing and public affairs. and the lady i spoke with said that i was taken advantage of, it should have costed me $76.00 for the UCR and the DOT #s are free.
"
- See more at: http://www.bbb.org/new-york-city/bus...ints#breakdown.

[akash55rashtogi]

The Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is a unique two-to-four-letter code used to identify transportation companies. SCAC codes can be obtained from the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), located in Alexandria, VA. You can contact them at (703) 838-1831.

After you receive the SCAC code from the NMFTA, if you have issues using the SCAC in ACE or need it to work with Exports in the Automated Export System (AES), you should email a request to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade at amsscac@cbp.dhs.gov and attach the NMFTA letter.

[Sourten]

Does getting this code cost anything by the way?