Unregistered Carriers on 5/28/2009 - 3997
Unregistered Carriers on 5/29/2009 - 3960
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 39 / $3212 (avg $81)
By my calculations, we have 147 work days left in the current calendar year. If I divide my unregistered carrier total - 3997 - by 147, I get 27.19. This is the net average number of carriers I need to remove from my Unregistered List per day if I want to "get to zero" by the end of the calendar year. (I decided to bump it to 30 just so I (and my staff) could deal with a nice round number.) Remember that 30 is a net number - if I register 10 carriers (remove then from the list) and I get 4 new USDOT number carriers who need to register (add them the list), the net number of carriers I remove from my list is only 6.
My new adds today total 18 - ten new USDOT numbers and 8 "sideways" additions. I don't know about other states, but we seem to have a steady flow of new adds. We will "solicit" these carriers immediately. We also have seven "changes" - carriers that were on our list in a slightly different form (different address, phone, etc.) yesterday. We will contact these carriers immediately. Clearly, one of our main "getting to zero" strategies is to focus on those carriers with "fresh" information because we know that every one of them has just filled out a new MCS-150!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Another UCR Milestone!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/27/2009 - 4002
Unregistered Carriers on 5/28/2009 - 3997
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 18 / $1010 (avg $56)
We are now officially under 4,000 unregistered carriers! I know that doesn't sound like much of a milestone, but those of you who are following this blog know how much effort we are putting into "getting to zero", and we are pleased to see it!
You may have noticed that I've been posting our daily UCR registrations, the amount of revenue we receive from those registrations and the average registration amount. For the month, we have registered 568 carriers and collected just under $56,000.
As the remaining unknown (unregistered) carriers become the known (registered), we can see those registrations translating to an average of about $100 per registration. Even if every one of the remaining 3,997 carriers registers (which is highly unlikely because we believe another 10-20% of these records will be deactivated before it's all over), we will only generate $400,000 in additional revenue.
Is it worth the effort? That depends on how you look at it. Since we are committed to trying to "get to zero", the point is almost moot. But the discussion is worth having on a broader scale in light of the definition of the phrase "reasonable effort".
Unregistered Carriers on 5/28/2009 - 3997
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 18 / $1010 (avg $56)
We are now officially under 4,000 unregistered carriers! I know that doesn't sound like much of a milestone, but those of you who are following this blog know how much effort we are putting into "getting to zero", and we are pleased to see it!
You may have noticed that I've been posting our daily UCR registrations, the amount of revenue we receive from those registrations and the average registration amount. For the month, we have registered 568 carriers and collected just under $56,000.
As the remaining unknown (unregistered) carriers become the known (registered), we can see those registrations translating to an average of about $100 per registration. Even if every one of the remaining 3,997 carriers registers (which is highly unlikely because we believe another 10-20% of these records will be deactivated before it's all over), we will only generate $400,000 in additional revenue.
Is it worth the effort? That depends on how you look at it. Since we are committed to trying to "get to zero", the point is almost moot. But the discussion is worth having on a broader scale in light of the definition of the phrase "reasonable effort".
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
MCMIS Record Changes
Unregistered Carriers on 5/26/2009 - 4026
Unregistered Carriers on 5/27/2009 - 4002
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 34 / $3669 (avg $108)
One of the really nice features of the Iteris reports coupled with the spreadsheet comparison software is that we get to see the records of unregistered carriers that have changed since the previous day's report. We generally have 6-10 changes per day. Why is this significant? Because we know that the new information for this carrier is "fresh" - and most likely accurate! Many times an email address has also been added - and you know how much we like email addresses! Since the old information was probably inaccurate, it's a trigger for us to immediately contact these carriers with registration information.
Unregistered Carriers on 5/27/2009 - 4002
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 34 / $3669 (avg $108)
One of the really nice features of the Iteris reports coupled with the spreadsheet comparison software is that we get to see the records of unregistered carriers that have changed since the previous day's report. We generally have 6-10 changes per day. Why is this significant? Because we know that the new information for this carrier is "fresh" - and most likely accurate! Many times an email address has also been added - and you know how much we like email addresses! Since the old information was probably inaccurate, it's a trigger for us to immediately contact these carriers with registration information.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Getting to Zero - Why It's Important!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/22/2009 - 4080
Unregistered Carriers on 5/25/2009 - 4026
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 22 / $1204 (avg $54)
Some people would argue (and have argued!) that going after every carrier in our respective states is "not our job". Our job, to paraphrase the discussion, is to register the carriers who walk in the door - and let the roadside officers in our state and the other states find and take enforcement action against all the "scofflaws". Two tasks - register the carriers who come in and bang the rest at the road.
I have mixed feelings about this argument. I think I understand all the rationale for this position - resources, time, etc. We never seem to have enough of those.
For the moment, however, I'm going to focus on a different issue - fairness to the carriers.
I think I can safely say that today, May 26th, there are legitimate carriers in my state with legitimate USDOT numbers who are registered as legitimate "active interstate carriers" who know nothing about UCR. Legitimately! Even after all the effort we're putting forth. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that every state has them.
So, why should their first encounter with UCR result in a ticket? Not only is that bad for business, but it begs the question of whose job it is!
"Getting to zero" says it's our job. If we contact them all, they can't plead ignorance. And, so far, many carriers have thanked us for contacting them because they, in fact, had never heard of the program and they don't WANT their first encounter with UCR to result in a ticket! Many of them register as soon as we contact them.
Everybody wins. That's what it's all about.
Unregistered Carriers on 5/25/2009 - 4026
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 22 / $1204 (avg $54)
Some people would argue (and have argued!) that going after every carrier in our respective states is "not our job". Our job, to paraphrase the discussion, is to register the carriers who walk in the door - and let the roadside officers in our state and the other states find and take enforcement action against all the "scofflaws". Two tasks - register the carriers who come in and bang the rest at the road.
I have mixed feelings about this argument. I think I understand all the rationale for this position - resources, time, etc. We never seem to have enough of those.
For the moment, however, I'm going to focus on a different issue - fairness to the carriers.
I think I can safely say that today, May 26th, there are legitimate carriers in my state with legitimate USDOT numbers who are registered as legitimate "active interstate carriers" who know nothing about UCR. Legitimately! Even after all the effort we're putting forth. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that every state has them.
So, why should their first encounter with UCR result in a ticket? Not only is that bad for business, but it begs the question of whose job it is!
"Getting to zero" says it's our job. If we contact them all, they can't plead ignorance. And, so far, many carriers have thanked us for contacting them because they, in fact, had never heard of the program and they don't WANT their first encounter with UCR to result in a ticket! Many of them register as soon as we contact them.
Everybody wins. That's what it's all about.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Officially Cool UCR Tool
Unregistered Carriers on 5/21/2009 - 4102
Unregistered Carriers on 5/22/2009 - 4080
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 23 / $2165 (avg $94)
OK, it's official now - this spreadsheet comparison tool is GREAT!
The software, working in conjunction with Iteris' Unregistered List reports, gives us instant information on every carrier who has been added to our list since the previous day (including email addresses). Keep in mind that we are not just seeing brand-new USDOT carriers. We are now seeing every carrier that was added to our list for any reason (inspection, crash, MCS-150 update, and so on).
Today, for example, we added 14 carriers to our Unregistered List. Eight of these carriers are brand-new USDOT numbers. The other six are what I referred to in previous posts as "sideways" additions - carriers who came in stealthily because of one of the reasons listed above.
Seven of these 14 carriers have email addresses, so we emailed them the "Our records show that your are not registered under the UCR program ..." email. We called the other seven carriers. Our call results: 4 voice mails left, one "no" answer, one disconnected phone, and one guy who walked in and registered after we ran our list but before we called him. Shame on us for not thinking of that scenario! Total elapsed call time: 10 minutes.
The upshot: we expended very little physical effort and very little cost to contact ALL of our new additions today. At the same time, the contacts themselves were much more personal and immediate than just mailing them an application and a form letter. As a manager, I consider that to be working smarter and better, both for us and for our customers.
Unregistered Carriers on 5/22/2009 - 4080
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 23 / $2165 (avg $94)
OK, it's official now - this spreadsheet comparison tool is GREAT!
The software, working in conjunction with Iteris' Unregistered List reports, gives us instant information on every carrier who has been added to our list since the previous day (including email addresses). Keep in mind that we are not just seeing brand-new USDOT carriers. We are now seeing every carrier that was added to our list for any reason (inspection, crash, MCS-150 update, and so on).
Today, for example, we added 14 carriers to our Unregistered List. Eight of these carriers are brand-new USDOT numbers. The other six are what I referred to in previous posts as "sideways" additions - carriers who came in stealthily because of one of the reasons listed above.
Seven of these 14 carriers have email addresses, so we emailed them the "Our records show that your are not registered under the UCR program ..." email. We called the other seven carriers. Our call results: 4 voice mails left, one "no" answer, one disconnected phone, and one guy who walked in and registered after we ran our list but before we called him. Shame on us for not thinking of that scenario! Total elapsed call time: 10 minutes.
The upshot: we expended very little physical effort and very little cost to contact ALL of our new additions today. At the same time, the contacts themselves were much more personal and immediate than just mailing them an application and a form letter. As a manager, I consider that to be working smarter and better, both for us and for our customers.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Calling all Unregistered UCR Carriers
Unregistered Carriers on 5/19/2009 - 4126
Unregistered Carriers on 5/20/2009 - 4102
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 30 / $6240 (avg $208)
In my previous post, I hinted that it may, in fact, make financial sense for a State to go after 'every last one' of their Unregistered carriers. In this post, I'd like to put some numbers behind that assertion to see if it holds water.
Suppose, for example, that we randomly called 10 unregistered $39 UCR carriers. Suppose further that we spent 10 minutes talking to the carriers we were able to reach and 2 minutes discovering that we had to leave a voice mail for the others. Finally, suppose, for the sake of this discussion, that we accepted fax and credit card as viable means of registration.
Let's assume that we talked to five of them and left voice mail for the other five. Those results would take us exactly one hour. What are our costs for that hour? If the caller costs us $.50 per minute (high-priced calling talent!) and the calls cost us $.10 per minute, we would have a total cost of $.60 per minute, or $36 for that hour. How many registrations (immediate registrations, using a credit card) do we need from our 10 calls to cover our costs and make a couple of bucks? One! Even if it's only $39!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/20/2009 - 4102
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 30 / $6240 (avg $208)
In my previous post, I hinted that it may, in fact, make financial sense for a State to go after 'every last one' of their Unregistered carriers. In this post, I'd like to put some numbers behind that assertion to see if it holds water.
Suppose, for example, that we randomly called 10 unregistered $39 UCR carriers. Suppose further that we spent 10 minutes talking to the carriers we were able to reach and 2 minutes discovering that we had to leave a voice mail for the others. Finally, suppose, for the sake of this discussion, that we accepted fax and credit card as viable means of registration.
Let's assume that we talked to five of them and left voice mail for the other five. Those results would take us exactly one hour. What are our costs for that hour? If the caller costs us $.50 per minute (high-priced calling talent!) and the calls cost us $.10 per minute, we would have a total cost of $.60 per minute, or $36 for that hour. How many registrations (immediate registrations, using a credit card) do we need from our 10 calls to cover our costs and make a couple of bucks? One! Even if it's only $39!
Average UCR Transaction Amount In May - $100+
Unregistered Carriers on 5/19/2009 - 4126
Unregistered Carriers on 5/20/2009 - 4126
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 29 / $2016 (avg $69)
I have been under the assumption that most of the people coming in to register at this late date in the year are registering at $39 --- so, of course, I ran a report. I was more or less correct, but the numbers still surprised me.
May-to-date totals: 435 registrations for $44,000. Of these registrations, there are none (zero)for $37,500, only 2 for $3840 and only 6 are for $806. The rest, of course, are at or below $231. Nevertheless, we are generating an average of over $100 per registration.
This, in turn, leads me to wonder about the widely-held notion that "it's just not worth it to go after every carrier in the state". At $100+ per registration, I'm thinking it's worth a more in-depth look!
I'll keep you posted!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/20/2009 - 4126
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 29 / $2016 (avg $69)
I have been under the assumption that most of the people coming in to register at this late date in the year are registering at $39 --- so, of course, I ran a report. I was more or less correct, but the numbers still surprised me.
May-to-date totals: 435 registrations for $44,000. Of these registrations, there are none (zero)for $37,500, only 2 for $3840 and only 6 are for $806. The rest, of course, are at or below $231. Nevertheless, we are generating an average of over $100 per registration.
This, in turn, leads me to wonder about the widely-held notion that "it's just not worth it to go after every carrier in the state". At $100+ per registration, I'm thinking it's worth a more in-depth look!
I'll keep you posted!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Seriously COOL UCR Tool!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/18/2009 - 4141
Unregistered Carriers on 5/19/2009 - 4126
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 36 / $3207 (avg $89)
We are testing a very interesting piece of software that just might become a UCR "must-have" here at the IL Commerce Commission. What does this software do? It compares the changes between two spreadsheets.
"How can that be a UCR must-have?", you ask. Here's how:
Our UCR-Link software creates our Unregistered List each day in spreadsheet form. Very handy and easy to work with. We save our report each day and name it using that day's date. This gives us an Unregistered List for May 11, May 12, May 13, etc. Now, suppose we want to know which carriers have been added to our list since yesterday (or, for that matter, last Tuesday). If you've been reading this blog, you know that has been a somewhat elusive list for me. All we have to do is just fire up the software, run the changes report and - VOILA - the change list! Actually, the software produces three lists: adds, deletes and modifications.
And how much does this software cost? $40! One piddly registration!
As I said, we're testing the demo right now, but this thing looks like a winner to me! I'll keep you posted.
Unregistered Carriers on 5/19/2009 - 4126
Yesterday's Registrations (IL system) - 36 / $3207 (avg $89)
We are testing a very interesting piece of software that just might become a UCR "must-have" here at the IL Commerce Commission. What does this software do? It compares the changes between two spreadsheets.
"How can that be a UCR must-have?", you ask. Here's how:
Our UCR-Link software creates our Unregistered List each day in spreadsheet form. Very handy and easy to work with. We save our report each day and name it using that day's date. This gives us an Unregistered List for May 11, May 12, May 13, etc. Now, suppose we want to know which carriers have been added to our list since yesterday (or, for that matter, last Tuesday). If you've been reading this blog, you know that has been a somewhat elusive list for me. All we have to do is just fire up the software, run the changes report and - VOILA - the change list! Actually, the software produces three lists: adds, deletes and modifications.
And how much does this software cost? $40! One piddly registration!
As I said, we're testing the demo right now, but this thing looks like a winner to me! I'll keep you posted.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Experiments With Email
Unregistered Carriers on 5/15/2009 - 4155
Unregistered Carriers on 5/15/2009 - 4141
Email looks like it has some interesting potential.
On the plus side, it's quick, it's efficient, it's productive and it's "green".
On the "not-so-plus" side, we have things like:
1) it's hard to make it appear credible
2) if it has an attachment, it may automatically get routed to quarantine or disallowed altogether
3) the email address may bounce back as undeliverable
4) the "let me know when the email has been opened" flag doesn't work with all readers
Nevertheless, we see more upside than downside so we're going to "go boldly forward"!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/15/2009 - 4141
Email looks like it has some interesting potential.
On the plus side, it's quick, it's efficient, it's productive and it's "green".
On the "not-so-plus" side, we have things like:
1) it's hard to make it appear credible
2) if it has an attachment, it may automatically get routed to quarantine or disallowed altogether
3) the email address may bounce back as undeliverable
4) the "let me know when the email has been opened" flag doesn't work with all readers
Nevertheless, we see more upside than downside so we're going to "go boldly forward"!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Getting to Zero - 20 At A Time
Unregistered Carriers on 5/14/2009 - 4176
Unregistered Carriers on 5/15/2009 - 4155
If you've been following this project, you know that we remove a net of about 20-25 carriers a day from our Unregistered List. That doesn't seem like very many. But over the last two months, we have removed a net of just under 1,000 carriers from our list. That's a lot! And, if we can take off a net of 27 carriers per work day for the rest of the year, we will hit zero (100% registration) by the end of the year!
Ambitious - Yes! Impossible - I don't think so!
Have a great weekend!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/15/2009 - 4155
If you've been following this project, you know that we remove a net of about 20-25 carriers a day from our Unregistered List. That doesn't seem like very many. But over the last two months, we have removed a net of just under 1,000 carriers from our list. That's a lot! And, if we can take off a net of 27 carriers per work day for the rest of the year, we will hit zero (100% registration) by the end of the year!
Ambitious - Yes! Impossible - I don't think so!
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Interesting UCR Numbers
Unregistered Carriers on 5/13/2009 - 4210
Unregistered Carriers on 5/14/2009 - 4176
This weekend, UCR5000 will turn two months old. We started on 3/17 with 5123 carriers.
We have registered 1293 carriers during that period and we have requested de-activation of several hundred more carriers, but we have only experienced a net Unregistered List reduction of 947 carriers.
While we could get somewhat excited about the seemingly endless stream of potential new registrations, we also have to acknowledge, in all fairness, that most of the new carriers come in at $39 while the carriers who drop off the list are generally higher than that in MCMIS.
Good news - bad news!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/14/2009 - 4176
This weekend, UCR5000 will turn two months old. We started on 3/17 with 5123 carriers.
We have registered 1293 carriers during that period and we have requested de-activation of several hundred more carriers, but we have only experienced a net Unregistered List reduction of 947 carriers.
While we could get somewhat excited about the seemingly endless stream of potential new registrations, we also have to acknowledge, in all fairness, that most of the new carriers come in at $39 while the carriers who drop off the list are generally higher than that in MCMIS.
Good news - bad news!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Our Unregistered List GREW Today!
Unregistered Carriers on 5/12/2009 - 4207
Unregistered Carriers on 5/13/2009 - 4210
Our unregistered carrier list grew last night, which gives me an excellent opportunity to talk a little more about the dynamic nature of the list.
While we have yet to understand all the mechanics of this list, we do know about the activity that took place yesterday:
Registered in our system - 14 carriers (-)
Registered in IN system - 1 (-)
New USDOT Numbers - 17 (+)
Sideways Additions - 4 (+)
Deactivations Requested - 2 (-)
The net effect of all this activity suggests a net addition to our list of 4 carriers - which is almost 3 - so we may be getting close to understanding the elements of list growth.
The takeaway: we registered a total of 15 carriers yesterday, but our unregistered list still grew.
Unregistered Carriers on 5/13/2009 - 4210
Our unregistered carrier list grew last night, which gives me an excellent opportunity to talk a little more about the dynamic nature of the list.
While we have yet to understand all the mechanics of this list, we do know about the activity that took place yesterday:
Registered in our system - 14 carriers (-)
Registered in IN system - 1 (-)
New USDOT Numbers - 17 (+)
Sideways Additions - 4 (+)
Deactivations Requested - 2 (-)
The net effect of all this activity suggests a net addition to our list of 4 carriers - which is almost 3 - so we may be getting close to understanding the elements of list growth.
The takeaway: we registered a total of 15 carriers yesterday, but our unregistered list still grew.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Today's UCR5000 Numbers
UCR5000 Project Begin Date - 03/17/09
2009 Unregistered Carriers on 3/17 - 5123
Current 2009 Unregistered Carriers - 4207
Current 2009 Registration Percentage - 77.54%
To put these numbers into perspective, we have reduced our 2009 Unregistered List by a net of 916 carriers. This means that after we take into account all of the carriers who have come onto the list (new USDOT #s, "sideways additions", etc.) and all of the carriers we have taken off the list (through deactivating numbers, registrations, etc.), our list has shrunk by a net of 916 carriers. Our goal is to reduce the remaining 4207 to zero by the end of the calendar year. To accomplish this goal, we have to reduce our list by a net average of 27 carriers per work day for the rest of the year. We are currently averaging about 23 per day, so we will have to step up our game just a little.
2009 Unregistered Carriers on 3/17 - 5123
Current 2009 Unregistered Carriers - 4207
Current 2009 Registration Percentage - 77.54%
To put these numbers into perspective, we have reduced our 2009 Unregistered List by a net of 916 carriers. This means that after we take into account all of the carriers who have come onto the list (new USDOT #s, "sideways additions", etc.) and all of the carriers we have taken off the list (through deactivating numbers, registrations, etc.), our list has shrunk by a net of 916 carriers. Our goal is to reduce the remaining 4207 to zero by the end of the calendar year. To accomplish this goal, we have to reduce our list by a net average of 27 carriers per work day for the rest of the year. We are currently averaging about 23 per day, so we will have to step up our game just a little.
Monday, May 11, 2009
"Sideways" Additions to The Unregistered List
In Friday's post, I talked about new USDOT carriers - or, more correctly, carriers who got new USDOT numbers - and how they are constantly "feeding" our Unregistered Carrier List.
Another way that the Unregistered List is "fed" is through what I call the "Sideways" additions to the Unregistered list.
"Sideways" additions occur as a result of carriers having their first inspection, crash or MCS-150 update in the last 12 months. The inspection or crash doesn't have to occur in your state. "Sideways" additions can also occur dues to changes in MCMIS if, in MCMIS, a carrier is updated to: 1) a Carrier or Broker (from, say, a Registrant), 2) Interstate 3) Active.
Frankly, I don't know how you can learn about these carriers unless you have direct access to MCMIS - or unless you have the ability (or the time) to 1) examine Unregistered lists from two consecutive days, 2) note all of the differences between the two lists, and then 3) subtract the new USDOT numbers.
I'll talk more about these "Sideways" additions in an upcoming post.
Another way that the Unregistered List is "fed" is through what I call the "Sideways" additions to the Unregistered list.
"Sideways" additions occur as a result of carriers having their first inspection, crash or MCS-150 update in the last 12 months. The inspection or crash doesn't have to occur in your state. "Sideways" additions can also occur dues to changes in MCMIS if, in MCMIS, a carrier is updated to: 1) a Carrier or Broker (from, say, a Registrant), 2) Interstate 3) Active.
Frankly, I don't know how you can learn about these carriers unless you have direct access to MCMIS - or unless you have the ability (or the time) to 1) examine Unregistered lists from two consecutive days, 2) note all of the differences between the two lists, and then 3) subtract the new USDOT numbers.
I'll talk more about these "Sideways" additions in an upcoming post.
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Incredible Shrinking (and Growing) Unregistered List
The interesting thing about the Unregistered List (and the Unregistered %) is that the list and percentage are both dynamic - they can shrink and grow in the same day.
One of the main sources of list "growth" pertains to carriers who get new brand-new USDOT numbers. We probably average 20-25 of those carriers per work day.
We monitor these carriers through UCR-Link, the product distributed by Iteris. They have a "Solicitation" report that specifically identifies new USDOT numbers issued for carriers in our state.
Now here's some interesting math: if you identify and register just one extra $39 carrier per work day by monitoring these new carriers, you will generate $9,000 - $10,000 in extra revenue by year-end which, I believe, is more than Iteris charges for the entire product (which also has a lot of other powerful reporting tools).
I am NOT pushing UCR-Link. I AM trying to tell you about the importance of staying on top of your New Carrier list. In addition to UCR-Link, there are other ways to get the job done. You can monitor these carriers through the reporting function of your CVIEW (if you have one), through MCMIS (if you have access) or through a subscription arranged with the FMCSA. There are probably other methods as well.
The take-away: get on top of your new carrier list. This is the newest and freshest carrier information you will ever have, and just about all of these carriers and brokers (not Registrants) have to register under UCR.
Have great weekend!
One of the main sources of list "growth" pertains to carriers who get new brand-new USDOT numbers. We probably average 20-25 of those carriers per work day.
We monitor these carriers through UCR-Link, the product distributed by Iteris. They have a "Solicitation" report that specifically identifies new USDOT numbers issued for carriers in our state.
Now here's some interesting math: if you identify and register just one extra $39 carrier per work day by monitoring these new carriers, you will generate $9,000 - $10,000 in extra revenue by year-end which, I believe, is more than Iteris charges for the entire product (which also has a lot of other powerful reporting tools).
I am NOT pushing UCR-Link. I AM trying to tell you about the importance of staying on top of your New Carrier list. In addition to UCR-Link, there are other ways to get the job done. You can monitor these carriers through the reporting function of your CVIEW (if you have one), through MCMIS (if you have access) or through a subscription arranged with the FMCSA. There are probably other methods as well.
The take-away: get on top of your new carrier list. This is the newest and freshest carrier information you will ever have, and just about all of these carriers and brokers (not Registrants) have to register under UCR.
Have great weekend!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Three UCR Hands Tied Behind Our Backs
In case you think that we have undertaken the UCR5000 project with a lot of advantages that other states don't have, I'd like to put those misconceptions to rest.
First, a couple of numbers (courtesy of Iteris) for your consideration. For RY 2009, we have registered 14,348 carriers and, as I indicated in the previous post, we have roughly 4300 unregistered carriers. Only CA has registered more carriers at 16,658 - but they still have 11,467 unregistered carriers.
Staffing
We really only have three staffers who work on UCR - and none of them work on UCR full-time. They are, admittedly, prolific - but only part-time on UCR. I will describe their roles more fully as we go along.
UCR Registration Web Site
Simply put, we don't have one. All of our registrations are paper registrations. I'll talk about the reasons later.
IRP/IFTA "Hammers"
Here in Illinois, we don't have the ability or the authority to impede IRP or IFTA registration if carriers don't register for UCR. Those programs reside in separate agencies. And, interestingly, while we have good relationships with those agencies, we don't interact with them all that much. Furthermore, I don't expect that to be a hindrance in our UCR5000 quest.
So ... no particular "magic bullets" for getting to zero.
Oh, we don't have access to MCMIS, either. I'll discuss that issue in an upcoming post.
First, a couple of numbers (courtesy of Iteris) for your consideration. For RY 2009, we have registered 14,348 carriers and, as I indicated in the previous post, we have roughly 4300 unregistered carriers. Only CA has registered more carriers at 16,658 - but they still have 11,467 unregistered carriers.
Staffing
We really only have three staffers who work on UCR - and none of them work on UCR full-time. They are, admittedly, prolific - but only part-time on UCR. I will describe their roles more fully as we go along.
UCR Registration Web Site
Simply put, we don't have one. All of our registrations are paper registrations. I'll talk about the reasons later.
IRP/IFTA "Hammers"
Here in Illinois, we don't have the ability or the authority to impede IRP or IFTA registration if carriers don't register for UCR. Those programs reside in separate agencies. And, interestingly, while we have good relationships with those agencies, we don't interact with them all that much. Furthermore, I don't expect that to be a hindrance in our UCR5000 quest.
So ... no particular "magic bullets" for getting to zero.
Oh, we don't have access to MCMIS, either. I'll discuss that issue in an upcoming post.
What is the UCR5000 Project?
The UCR5000 project is a fairly ambitious project that my staff and I have undertaken where we intend to "clean up" every carrier on our UCR Unregistered list. When we initiated this project on March 17th, we had 5,123 carriers on our Unregistered list - hence, the "UCR5000" moniker. I'm happy to report that, as of today, we have reduced that number to 4,313. Again, our goal is to reduce that number to zero by the end of CY2009.
I'm going to be reporting our progress day-by-day on this blog. I'm going be sharing what's working and what's not working. I'm going to be soliciting input and suggestions.
With any luck, we'll all learn something about how to get more carriers into compliance - and how to get better at generating the revenue we need from the carriers who should be registering.
Stay tuned! This should be fun!
I'm going to be reporting our progress day-by-day on this blog. I'm going be sharing what's working and what's not working. I'm going to be soliciting input and suggestions.
With any luck, we'll all learn something about how to get more carriers into compliance - and how to get better at generating the revenue we need from the carriers who should be registering.
Stay tuned! This should be fun!
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