Getting started
Carrier onboarding: a simple checklist before your welcome call
Prepare your company, contact and equipment details for a clear carrier onboarding conversation without a complicated first form.
Keep the first step simple
Your first contact with a dispatch team should help establish who you are and how to reach you. Company name, a working email address, contact number and MC number provide a useful starting point. Double-check these details before submitting, particularly the phone number you want the welcome call to reach. If the person completing the form is not the owner or load approver, explain their role when the dispatcher contacts you.
Northlink’s initial carrier form keeps supporting uploads out of this first step. The follow-up conversation is the place to discuss the remaining information and document requirements.
Describe your available equipment
Tell the dispatcher what you operate, rather than selecting the closest label and hoping the difference will not matter. Dry van, reefer, flatbed, step deck, power only, hot shot and box truck equipment have different loading and trip considerations. Useful details include vehicle or trailer length, practical capacity, available loading equipment and any operating restrictions.
For a fleet, record availability per truck. “We have three trucks” is less useful than “one truck is ready Monday and the other two finish existing trips later in the week.” Share the level of detail you know; it can be refined during onboarding.
Prepare documents without exposing them unnecessarily
During onboarding, your assigned contact may request supporting business or insurance documents relevant to the arrangement. Confirm the correct recipient and upload route before sending sensitive files. Keep document names understandable, and check that each PDF is complete and readable. Avoid sharing passwords or unrelated identification information inside a general message.
When a document is updated, label the new version and tell the team which older copy it replaces. A folder full of similar filenames can create confusion at exactly the moment a broker or operations colleague needs the current document.
Use the welcome call to agree on the workflow
Discuss preferred operating areas, load approval, driver communication, service terms and how completed paperwork will be submitted. Identify the person who can answer urgent questions about the truck. Ask the dispatcher to summarize the next step at the end of the call: what is still needed, who will provide it and when the truck can be considered available.
If something is missing, it is better to record a clear follow-up than to silently assume it is complete. A short written recap gives both sides a common reference.
Your practical preparation list
Keep company and contact details together, confirm your MC number, describe your equipment accurately, have relevant documents ready for the agreed secure handoff, and write down questions about communication and fees. Save the dispatcher’s name and direct contact once assigned. Submitting a form is an introduction; review and agreement on the service arrangement still happen separately.
A simple first conversation
Start with the company name, MC number, a reachable phone number and an email address you check regularly. Our initial Carrier Setup form keeps that first step short. Equipment and operating preferences help the welcome-call team prepare; supporting documents can be discussed directly when the working relationship is reviewed.
Prepare for the welcome call
Choose a good time to talk and have your current equipment details available. Mention schedule constraints, driver availability and any restrictions that affect load selection. If information changes after submission, tell the team before a load is discussed. Submission starts a conversation; it does not itself confirm a service agreement or a load assignment.
Talk about your dispatch needs
Start with a few company details. Our team will contact you to discuss the next step.
Start Carrier Setup →Keep reading
How to choose truck dispatch support for your business
Deadhead and load planning: compare the whole trip
From load paperwork to a clear dispatch invoice
Dry van, reefer and flatbed dispatch: questions that change the plan
Box truck and hot shot dispatch: details to confirm before booking