The National Consumer Complaint Database is your chance to help identify motor carriers (bus, truck, and moving companies), brokers, and Auto Haulers who are reported to have engaged in violations of the commercial regulations. These complaints, along with other data sources, are used to make decisions about which companies FMCSA will investigate.

The National Consumer Complaint Database is intended for investigation of a past event involving a violation of a law or regulation within the jurisdiction of the FMCSA. IMPORTANT: If this is a safety emergency, please call 911 immediately. The National Consumer Complaint Database is intended only for investigation of past events.

• Your complaint will be entered into FMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database and will be used for analytical and statistical purposes. 

• Your complaint will be maintained in the company’s file as part of its permanent record. 

• If FMCSA decides to take enforcement action against the company you may be contacted to provide additional information and documentation.

Please provide the date to the best of your ability and make a note of your uncertainty in the incident description.

Incident Location means where the Incident you observed took place. For example, if you were traveling from New York, NY to Boston, MA, and witnessed a Truck driver changing lanes improperly on Route 95 in Boston, MA, the Incident location is Route 95, Boston, MA.

Please provide as much information as you can regarding the Incident you observed. For example, if you observed a commercial truck changing lanes improperly describe the condition of the traffic on the road, such as heavy traffic. You can also provide information such as the condition of the road. For example, in heavy traffic on a snow-covered Route 95 in Boston, MA I observed a commercial truck moving from lane to lane without proper signaling and insufficient space between cars.

You can call our toll-free hotline at 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238), available from 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday, Eastern Time.

If the complaint violation you are reporting is not listed, please: 

• Select the most suitable complaint type from the icons provided. 

• On the next page, explain your complaint in the “Incident Description” field. 

• Select the pre-determined Complaint Detail that is the most similar to your complaint. 

• Be sure to check the box if the allegation is available. If you cannot find it, describe it in the text box. It may be helpful, although it is not required, to refer to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations at www.fmcsa.dot.gov 

• If none of the categories seem to fit, you may want to try submitting your complaint by phone at 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238); the person taking your call will be able to assist with categorizing your issue. 

• The Household Goods (HHG) shipment is being held hostage for final payment in excess of 110% of non-binding estimate. 

• A moving company, broker or other regulated entity engaged in interstate operations without the required authority from the FMCSA (unauthorized operations). 

• A moving company, broker or other regulated entity engaged in interstate operations without the required insurance on file with the FMCSA (uninsured operations). 

• The moving company failed to acknowledge, process and settle your loss and damage within 120 days of receipt. 

• The moving company failed to honor agreed pick-up and/or delivery dates without giving proper notice. 

Yes—if you are submitting a hostage goods complaint, you must provide a bill of lading #. If you are NOT submitting a hostage goods complaint, then a bill of lading # is not required.

Origin means where the trip started or where the goods were arranged to be picked up. For example, if you were traveling from New York, NY to Boston, MA, the origin of your trip would be New York, NY, and the destination is Boston, MA, where the trip ended.

There are three types of passenger carrier complaints: 

• An ADA complaint is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act or its implementing regulations. Some examples of an ADA complaint include a bus with a broken wheelchair lift or a driver or employee not offering the required assistance to a passenger with a disability. 

• A bus safety complaint is related to the mechanical condition of the vehicle or the actions or physical condition of the driver during the trip, for example if the driver was driving while texting or falling asleep, or you observe bald tires or other obviously unsafe vehicle condition. 

• A bus service complaint includes discrimination, ticket issues, and possibly lost baggage. (Note, whether baggage was checked or unchecked is relevant to the carrier's responsibilities.) Service complaints do not pose any threat to safety. Before you file a service complaint, you may refer to Title 49 in the Code of Federal Regulations part 374 to ensure the circumstances are within FMCSA's regulatory authority.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. The ADA required the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue regulations related to accessibility on over-the-road buses.

No, but the information is helpful, if you can provide it.

In many cases, this information is listed on the ticket.

The FMCSA needs your contact information so that, if necessary, we can contact you regarding the details of your complaint. “The Secretary of Transportation may disclose the identity of a complainant only if disclosure is necessary to prosecute a violation. If disclosure becomes necessary, the Secretary shall take every practical means…to ensure that the complainant is not subject to harassment, intimidation, disciplinary action, discrimination, or financial loss because of the disclosure.” [49 U.S.C. § 31143(b)]

If you do not provide your contact information, you can still submit a complaint. If we do not have your contact information, you will not receive a letter acknowledging the receipt of your complaint, and FMCSA will be unable to follow up with you regarding the status of your complaint. If FMCSA needs additional information in order to investigate your complaint and there is no way of communicating with you, your complaint may not be investigated, or the effectiveness of our investigation may be hindered.

When your complaint has been processed, FMCSA will use your contact information to send you an acknowledgement letter. We will store your contact information with your complaint so that you can be contacted regarding your complaint. To view all possible uses of your information, see FMCSA's full Privacy Policy at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/Online-Privacy-Policy.aspx.

Please click the following link to read our privacy policy in its entirety: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/Online-Privacy-Policy.aspx.

The USDOT number is an identification number assigned to bus companies that transport passengers between one or more states. The number is assigned by FMCSA and serves as a way to identify the bus company during investigations, inspections, compliance reviews, and crashes.

If you purchased a ticket online, you may have bought a ticket from a ticketing service or ticket broker and not directly from a bus company. Ticketing service and ticket broker names will not appear in the search results. Contact the company selling the ticket and ask for the USDOT number of the bus company that made the trip.

Please enter only the information you know.

Yes—if you are submitting a hostage goods complaint, you must provide supporting documents, such as a written estimate and a bill of lading. If you are NOT submitting a hostage goods complaint, you are encouraged but not required to submit supporting documents.

Photos, documents, and videos can be uploaded and submitted with your complaint.

Please call our toll-free hotline for assistance at 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238), available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday through Friday, Eastern Time.

A complainant requesting a copy of his or her complaint is asked to contact FMCSA's Freedom of Information Act Office (FOIA). The FMCSA FOIA Hotline number is (202) 366-2960, but you can also send an email to FOIA2@dot.gov. To learn more about FOIA requests, please visit our Web site at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/foia/foia.htm.

The FMCSA does not have the authority to intercede on behalf of passengers in civil actions seeking monetary damages. If you choose to take legal action, information about the passenger carrier's agent for process service is available on our Web site at http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov. A process agent is a representative upon whom court papers may be served in a legal action against a passenger carrier. 
 
Regarding ADA complaints under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has responsibility for litigation on the Government's behalf in enforcing the ADA or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This may be based upon either a referral of a finding of willful noncompliance by DOT, or by intervention in a privately filed lawsuit. [42 U.S.C. § 12133, 29 U.S.C. § 794a]. 
 
You may also file a complaint (lawsuit) in State or Federal court. While there are no deadlines for filing an ADA Title III complaint with either DOT or DOJ, there are deadlines for filing complaints in court. These deadlines differ in each State so be sure to contact the appropriate Clerk of Courts office to answer questions related to their filing requirements.

Your decision to file a complaint with FMCSA using the NCCDB does not affect your right to pursue a civil action. One action has no effect upon the other. However, it is helpful for FMCSA to be aware of whether you have filed or plan to file a civil court action, and whether you have filed or plan to file a complaint with another Federal Agency regarding the incident.