Bureaucracy often elicits groans and frustration from those forced to interact with it. For truckers, regulations require them to seek various forms and approvals to conduct their work. While it keeps the industry organized and protects truckers as well as motorists on the road, it often causes headaches. However, in a move towards simplification, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration decided to consolidate the use of personal identification numbers to a single PIN.

The update took effect this Monday, April 27. Previously, the FMCSA required three different numbers. They included the MC number and the MX number, both of which the administration eliminated. The remaining, the US DOT PIN, takes their place for the sole PIN required for truckers to obtain.

Therefore, when drivers access the FMCSA’s online registration system, they need only the single identification number. Using either of the others won’t permit access. That means only tracking one number, easing the requirements for truckers adding themselves to the federally regulated database of operators.

The process started earlier in 2020, says the FMCSA. They opted to remove the necessity for MC and MX numbers in order to streamline the entire process.

For more information on USDOT numbers, visit this page.