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Check a car shipping company in Canada

Canadian carriers that haul cars to or from the U.S. are registered with the U.S. FMCSA and hold a USDOT number. Enter it, an MC number or the company name to see whether the company is active, insured and in good standing. Carrier that only drives inside Canada? Below is where to check its National Safety Code (NSC) number in each province.

Example: 3742254 (USDOT of a New Brunswick car carrier) · MC-1325175 · or part of the company name. Canadian companies are listed first. You'll find the numbers on the company's website, quote, contract or truck doors.

Carrier

Dowling Kenneth Lynn

Doing business as Dowlings Car Carriers

USDOT 824971 MC-369361 Burnaby, BC (778) 681-5528

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No red flags in FMCSA records

The company is registered, authorized and insured. Still get the price and terms in writing before you pay anything.

What we checked

  • USDOT number is active

    The company's federal registration is current.

  • Operating authority is active

    Authorized for hire across state lines as a carrier (it can haul cars itself) under MC-369361.

  • Liability insurance on file

    $750,000 of liability coverage is filed with FMCSA (required minimum: $750,000).

  • Cargo insurance not filed with FMCSA

    Federal rules don't require most carriers to file cargo coverage, so this is common. Ask for a certificate of insurance showing cargo coverage above your car's value.

  • Satisfactory safety rating

    FMCSA audited the company and found its safety controls adequate (rated May 2000).

  • In business for 27 years

    Registered with FMCSA since August 1999.

  • Only 4 roadside inspections in the last 24 months

    Too few to compare with the national average. Vehicles were put out of service in 66.7% of inspections (national average 22.26%), drivers in 0% (national average 6.67%).

  • 0 reported crashes in the last 24 months

    No crashes were reported to FMCSA in the last two years.

Company details

Contact

Address
310 6888 Southpoint Dr, Burnaby, BC V3N 5E3
Mailing address
2258 East 49th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5P 1T8
Phone
(778) 681-5528

Company

Legal name
Dowling Kenneth Lynn
Doing business as
Dowlings Car Carriers
Business type
Authorized for hire
Company officers
Ken Dowling
Process agent (BOC-3)
Dotprocessagents.com LLC — Norman, OK
USDOT issued
Aug 25, 1999
Last MCS-150 update
Feb 11, 2025

Operations

Operation
Interstate (can cross state lines)
Cargo it hauls
Motor vehicles, Drive-away / towaway
Trucks
1 power unit
Drivers
1 (1 with a CDL)
Miles driven a year
15,000 (2024)
Safety rating
Satisfactory (May 2000)

Safety record, last 24 months

4Roadside inspections
66.7%Vehicle out-of-service rate
National average 22.26%
0%Driver out-of-service rate
National average 6.67%
0Crashes
0 with injuries · 0 fatal

Roadside inspections

Police and state inspectors stop trucks to check the vehicle and the driver. Out of service means a problem serious enough to stop the truck or driver on the spot.

DateStateInspectionViolationsOut of service
Sep 25, 2026WAWalk-around (II)3Vehicle
Nov 21, 2025MTWalk-around (II)0No
Aug 24, 2025SDDriver only (III)0No
Aug 14, 2025NEWalk-around (II)3Vehicle

Crashes

No crashes were reported in the last 24 months.

Insurance and bonds

On file now

TypeInsurerPolicyLimitEffective
Liability (BIPD)Virginia Surety Company, Inc.2894—Feb 16, 2000

Ask the company for a certificate of insurance and check that the insurer and policy number match this table.

Past policies

Earlier filings, newest first. Cancelled, no replacement means coverage stopped with no new policy in place — a gap in insurance.

TypeInsurerFromUntilHow it ended
CargoUnderwriters At Lloyds LondonNov 20, 2004Dec 17, 2009Cancelled

Operating authority history

Every change FMCSA recorded to the company's license to operate, newest first.

  • Granted or reinstated
  • Warning, resolved
  • Revoked or suspended
  • Other
  1. Authority granted Carrier

Source: FMCSA records published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, checked 11 hours ago. Authority and insurance come from FMCSA's licensing records (this company hasn't had a status change since FMCSA moved to its new Motus system in 2026). This report reflects public federal data only; it is not an endorsement or a guarantee of service.

What the lookup checks

What a USDOT record tells you about a Canadian carrier

A Canadian carrier that crosses the border must register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the U.S. regulator. The lookup reads that record and flags what matters to you as a customer. Its U.S. record also shows how the company runs in Canada: the same trucks, drivers and management.

  1. USDOT status

    Every company that drives into the U.S. needs an active USDOT number. Inactive means it has stopped operating there or was shut down.

  2. Operating authority (MC number)

    U.S. permission to ship cars for pay across the border. Carriers hold carrier authority; brokers hold broker authority. No active authority, no legal cross-border shipping.

  3. Liability insurance

    Carriers must keep at least US$750,000 of liability coverage on file with the FMCSA. Most auto haulers carry US$1,000,000.

  4. Broker bond

    U.S.-registered brokers must file a US$75,000 surety bond or trust fund. It protects customers and carriers if the broker doesn't pay.

  5. Out-of-service orders

    An FMCSA order to stop operating — after failed safety audits, unpaid fines or an imminent hazard.

  6. Safety rating and crashes

    Satisfactory, Conditional or Unsatisfactory after an FMCSA audit, plus crashes reported in the last 24 months.

  7. Time in business

    Scammers rarely keep a name for long. A registration only weeks or months old deserves extra caution.

  8. Carrier or broker

    Whether the company hauls your car itself or books a partner carrier — and whether it is actually registered to carry vehicles.

Carriers that stay in Canada

Check the NSC number in each province

A car carrier that never crosses the border may have no USDOT number at all. In Canada, every commercial carrier needs a National Safety Code (NSC) safety certificate from its home province — a CVOR certificate in Ontario, an NIR in Quebec. Ask for the number, then check it with the province.

  1. Ontario CVOR certificate

    The public CVOR abstract summarizes a carrier's safety record, collisions and convictions for the last two years. You order it online from the province for a fee. Order a CVOR abstract →

  2. Quebec NIR (RPEVL registry)

    The Commission des transports du Québec shows a registered carrier's file and safety rating online for free, in the register of heavy vehicle owners and operators. Look up the CTQ register →

  3. British Columbia NSC safety certificate

    CVSE publishes a monthly list of B.C. carriers with their certificate status (active, no active vehicles or suspended), safety rating and number of vehicles. Open CVSE →

  4. Alberta Safety Fitness Certificate

    Alberta Transportation sells a carrier's public profile online: convictions, inspections, collisions and its safety fitness rating. Alberta carrier certificates →

  5. Manitoba NSC number

    The province's Carrier Snapshot shows a carrier's safety rating, fleet size and inspection results to the public. Manitoba carrier profiles →

  6. Saskatchewan Safety Fitness Certificate

    SGI runs the NSC program. There is no public online search, so ask the carrier for its NSC number and a copy of its Safety Fitness Certificate. Open SGI →

  7. Nova Scotia NSC number

    The Registry of Motor Vehicles registers commercial carriers and assigns the NSC number. Contact its commercial carrier program to confirm a carrier is registered. Nova Scotia carrier registration →

  8. New Brunswick NSC number

    Inspections and Enforcement New Brunswick issues carrier abstracts and safety rating letters on request. New Brunswick NSC →

Also worth a minute: check that the business itself is registered — federally with Corporations Canada, or in its province through Canada's Business Registries. Cargo insurance has no public registry anywhere in Canada, so ask for a certificate of insurance.

Beyond the records

Car shipping scam red flags

A clean record is the minimum. These warning signs matter just as much — most car shipping complaints in Canada start with one of them.

  • A quote far below everyone else's. Lowball quotes get raised after booking or sit with no carrier for weeks. Compare with our car shipping cost calculator.
  • A big deposit by Interac e-Transfer, wire or gift card. Reputable companies take $0–$250 upfront, usually by credit card, and the rest at pickup or delivery.
  • No NSC, CVOR or USDOT number. Every commercial carrier in Canada has an NSC number from its province. A company that won't give you one isn't one you should book.
  • A name that doesn't match the record. The legal or operating name on the NSC or USDOT record should match the website, the contract and the truck.
  • "Guaranteed" pickup dates from a broker. A broker can't promise a date until a carrier is assigned — get the date in writing and ask who the carrier is.
  • No written contract or Bill of Lading. Inspect the car with the driver, note every scratch and sign the Bill of Lading at pickup and at delivery.

FAQ

Checking a car shipping company

Want companies that already passed these checks? Browse verified companies by province.

How do I check if a car shipping company in Canada is legit?

Ask for its National Safety Code (NSC) number — a CVOR number in Ontario, an NIR in Quebec — and check it with the carrier's home province. If the company also hauls cars to or from the U.S., look up its USDOT number here. Then make sure the name on the record matches the website and the contract, ask for a certificate of cargo insurance, and be wary of anyone who wants a large deposit by e-Transfer.

Does a Canadian car shipping company need a USDOT number?

Only if it drives into the U.S. A carrier that stays in Canada needs a provincial NSC safety certificate, not a USDOT number. Carriers that run cross-border routes, including most long-distance and snowbird car shippers, hold both.

What is an NSC number?

The National Safety Code number identifies a commercial carrier in Canada and tracks its safety record: inspections, collisions and convictions. The carrier's home province issues it under national standards set by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators. Ontario calls it a CVOR certificate; in Quebec carriers register with the CTQ and get an NIR.

Why can't the lookup find a Canadian company?

The lookup searches U.S. FMCSA records, which only include companies that operate in the U.S. A carrier that stays in Canada won't be there. Check its NSC number with its province instead — the list above shows where.

What insurance should a car carrier in Canada have?

Each province sets the minimum liability insurance for commercial carriers. For your car, what matters is cargo insurance — the policy that pays if your car is damaged on the truck. There is no public registry of it in Canada, so ask for a certificate of insurance and check that the cargo limit covers your car's value and what the deductible is.

Is it a red flag if the company is a broker?

No. Many online car shipping companies in Canada are brokers: they book your car with a carrier that runs the route. Ask which carrier will haul your car and check that carrier's NSC or USDOT number, since the carrier is the one holding your car and the cargo insurance.

Where does this data come from and how current is it?

The lookup reads the FMCSA's own records, published daily by the U.S. Department of Transportation and refreshed here at least every 12 hours. NSC records are kept by each province and aren't part of the lookup — use the province links on this page.