The Truth About Government Trucking Contracts (Myths vs. Reality)

Misinformation about military freight keeps qualified carriers from exploring a real opportunity. At the same time, misplaced optimism leads unqualified carriers to waste time on something they can't access.

Both problems come from the same source: myths that spread through the industry because most people don't know how government freight actually works.

Some of these myths make military freight sound harder than it is. Others make it sound easier. Neither serves carriers trying to make informed decisions about their business.

Here's what's actually true.

Myth 1: You Need to Be a Big Carrier

The myth: Military freight is only for large fleets with hundreds of trucks. Small carriers and owner-operators can't compete for government contracts.

The reality: Small carriers haul military freight every day. The military's carrier registration program has no minimum fleet size requirement. If you meet the qualifications, you can participate whether you have one truck or one thousand.

The military's freight needs are diverse. Some shipments are massive volume moves suited for large carriers. Others are smaller loads in specific lanes where a regional operator or owner-operator is the perfect fit. The system accommodates both because the military needs both.

Small carriers often bring advantages that large fleets can't match: flexibility, responsiveness, and personal accountability. For certain freight in certain situations, that's exactly what the military wants.

The barrier to military freight isn't size. It's meeting the actual requirements, which have nothing to do with how many trucks you own.

Myth 2: It's Only for Veterans

The myth: You need military service in your background to haul military freight. It's a program for veterans helping veterans.

The reality: Military service is not required. The requirement is U.S. citizenship, not veteran status.

Plenty of carriers hauling military freight have no military background whatsoever. They're civilian trucking companies that went through the registration process and got approved. Their qualification came from meeting DOT authority requirements, maintaining proper insurance and bonding, and completing the necessary paperwork. None of that requires military experience.

Veteran-owned businesses may have advantages in certain federal contracting contexts, but the basic military freight carrier program is open to any U.S. citizen who meets the requirements. If you're a citizen with three years of continuous authority and clean records, your military service history (or lack thereof) isn't a factor.

Myth 3: The Rates Are Terrible

The myth: Government freight pays poorly. The military squeezes carriers on rates because they can.

The reality: Military freight rates are standardized, not depressed. They're designed to be fair and consistent, not to extract the lowest possible price from desperate carriers.

During hot spot markets, commercial rates sometimes exceed military rates. That's true. Carriers chasing peak spot rates during boom times might earn more per mile on commercial freight.

But during soft markets, the picture reverses. When spot rates crash below operating costs, military rates hold steady. Carriers who watched commercial rates drop 30% or 40% during the freight recession saw their military freight paying the same as before.

The question isn't whether military rates are the highest available at any given moment. It's whether consistent, predictable rates that don't crash during downturns are valuable to your operation. For carriers who've lived through rate volatility, stability often matters more than chasing peaks.

Factor in 72-hour payment with no factoring fees, and the effective rate comparison shifts further. A $2.00 military load that pays in three days nets more than a $2.10 spot load that takes 45 days and costs 3% to factor.

Myth 4: It's Impossible to Get Approved

The myth: The approval process is so complicated and bureaucratic that normal trucking companies can't get through it. Only carriers with government connections or specialized consultants can navigate the system.

The reality: The process is complex but learnable. Carriers figure it out every year without special connections or expensive consultants.

The registration process involves multiple systems and specific requirements. You need a SCAC code, SAM.gov registration, FCRP application, performance bond, proper insurance, Syncada account, and ECA certificate. Each component has its own steps and potential complications.

This complexity is real. First-time applicants often make mistakes that cause delays or rejections. The process requires attention to detail, patience with bureaucratic systems, and willingness to follow requirements precisely.

But "complex" isn't the same as "impossible." The requirements are documented. The steps are defined. Carriers who approach the process systematically, verify their information matches across all systems, and meet deadlines get approved. Those who rush through or skip steps get rejected.

The barrier is effort and precision, not impossibility or connections.

Myth 5: All Military Freight Is Hazmat or Weapons

The myth: Military freight means hauling weapons, ammunition, and dangerous materials. You need hazmat endorsements and security clearances.

The reality: The vast majority of military freight is FAK (Freight All Kinds), which is ordinary general commodity freight. No hazmat. No weapons. No security clearances.

Military bases are communities that need constant resupply of everything a community requires. Food for dining facilities. Office furniture and supplies. Maintenance parts. Medical supplies. Construction materials. Clothing and uniforms. This is what most military freight carriers actually haul.

Weapons and ammunition (AA&E freight) do move, but through specialized carriers with additional certifications, security clearances, team driver requirements, and dramatically higher insurance. Regular trucking companies hauling FAK freight never touch this category.

The entry point for most carriers is general freight going to government facilities. If you can haul supplies for a commercial customer, you can haul FAK freight for the military. The cargo is the same. The destination is different.

Myth 6: You Can Sign Up Anytime

The myth: Military freight registration is always open. You can apply whenever you're ready and start hauling immediately.

The reality: The FCRP (Freight Carrier Registration Program) has specific enrollment periods and processing timelines. You can't just sign up on a random Tuesday and haul freight by Friday.

Registration involves a multi-step process that typically takes 30 to 60 days when everything goes smoothly. Prerequisites like your SCAC code and SAM.gov registration need to be in place before you can submit your FCRP application. Once submitted, you have 60 days to complete all remaining requirements or your application is rejected.

The military also conducts periodic reviews and updates to the carrier registration system. Understanding current requirements and timelines matters because the process isn't instant.

Carriers who succeed plan ahead. They start the process knowing it will take weeks, not days. They don't wait until they desperately need the freight to begin registration. By the time desperation hits, it's too late to complete a 30 to 60 day process.

Myth 7: Anyone Can Do This

The myth: Military freight is open to all trucking companies. If you have a truck and want the work, you can get it.

The reality: Strict eligibility requirements disqualify most carriers. The biggest filter is the three-year authority rule, which has zero exceptions.

To become an approved military freight carrier, you must have three years of continuous, uninterrupted DOT operating authority. Not three years in trucking. Not three years since you first got authority that later lapsed. Three consecutive years with active authority, no gaps, no interruptions.

This requirement alone eliminates the majority of carriers. Anyone who got their authority within the last three years is automatically disqualified. Anyone whose authority had a gap, even briefly, may be disqualified. The military verifies this through FMCSA records, and there are no waivers or workarounds.

Beyond the authority requirement, carriers must be U.S. citizens, have no federal debarments or exclusions, maintain specific insurance levels, obtain a performance bond, and complete all registration requirements correctly. Each of these creates additional filters.

Military freight is a real opportunity for carriers who qualify. It's not an opportunity for carriers who don't. Knowing which category you're in before investing time is essential.

What's Actually Hard About It

Clearing up myths doesn't mean military freight is easy. The real challenges are worth understanding.

The registration process is genuinely complex. Multiple federal systems need to interconnect. Information must match exactly across all registrations. Deadlines exist that can't be extended. Documents must be submitted in specific formats by specific parties. Mistakes cause rejections that add weeks or months to the timeline.

Compliance requirements are ongoing. Getting approved is just the beginning. You must maintain SAM.gov registration annually. NDAA compliance certification is required yearly. Insurance and bonding must stay current without lapses. Letting any requirement expire triggers disapproval, and getting reinstated means starting over.

Building volume takes time. Approval doesn't mean immediate freight. You need to understand the tender system, submit competitive rates, and build a track record. Carriers who expect approval to instantly solve their freight problems are setting themselves up for disappointment.

The systems aren't user-friendly. Military logistics systems were designed for functionality, not ease of use. Learning to navigate TEAMS, GFM, and related platforms takes effort. The learning curve is real.

These challenges are manageable, but they're real. Carriers who succeed acknowledge the difficulty and prepare for it rather than assuming everything will be simple.

Making an Informed Decision

The point of clearing up myths isn't to convince you military freight is perfect. It's to help you evaluate the opportunity based on facts rather than misconceptions.

If you've avoided exploring military freight because you thought it required a big fleet, veteran status, or special connections, those barriers don't exist. The real requirements are different.

If you've assumed military freight would be easy to access or could solve immediate problems, those assumptions need adjusting. The process takes time and effort, and the benefits come to carriers who approach it seriously.

The carriers who succeed with military freight are the ones who understand what it actually requires, verify they qualify before starting, and commit to completing the process correctly. Myths in either direction don't serve that goal.

Think you might qualify? Start with the honest self-assessment in Do You Qualify for Military Freight? The Honest Self-Assessment.