Quickstart

This guide takes you from a sandbox key to a booking decision in your own code. It uses the sandbox throughout, so nothing you do here touches real data or your quota.

1. Get your keys#

DollarTraq issues API keys to each customer. Your account manager will send you a sandbox key (dt_test_…) to build with, and a live key (dt_live_…) when you are ready to go live.

Each key is shown once, when it is created. Store it as a secret, for example in an environment variable, and never put it in browser or mobile app code:

export DT_SCORE_KEY="dt_test_…"

2. Check the connection#

GET /v1/usage returns your limits and costs nothing. A 200 means your key works:

curl https://sandbox-api.dollartraq.com/v1/usage -H "Authorization: Bearer $DT_SCORE_KEY"

{
  "object": "usage",
  "livemode": false,
  "account": { "id": "cli_4k2m9x1q7w4e6r0t", "name": "Acme Logistics" },
  "live_requests_used": 0,
  "monthly_quota": 10000,
  "remaining": 10000,
  "rate_limit_per_minute": 120
}

A 401 means the key is missing, mistyped, or a live key sent to the sandbox. The error's message says which.

3. Score a carrier#

Ask for the DT Score of sandbox carrier 1000003, which is built to need review:

curl "https://sandbox-api.dollartraq.com/v1/dt-score?dot_number=1000003" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DT_SCORE_KEY"

const response = await fetch(
  "https://sandbox-api.dollartraq.com/v1/dt-score?dot_number=1000003",
  { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.DT_SCORE_KEY}` } }
);
const score = await response.json();

import os, requests

score = requests.get(
    "https://sandbox-api.dollartraq.com/v1/dt-score",
    params={"dot_number": "1000003"},
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['DT_SCORE_KEY']}"},
    timeout=30,
).json()

$context = stream_context_create(['http' => [
    'header' => 'Authorization: Bearer ' . getenv('DT_SCORE_KEY'),
    'ignore_errors' => true,
]]);

$score = json_decode(file_get_contents(
    'https://sandbox-api.dollartraq.com/v1/dt-score?dot_number=1000003', false, $context
), true);

The response, shortened:

{
  "object": "dt_score",
  "livemode": false,
  "carrier": {
    "dot_number": "1000003",
    "mc_number": "MC1000003",
    "legal_name": "Sandbox Midway Logistics LLC",
    "dba_name": null
  },
  "score": 66,
  "grade": "D",
  "decision": "review",
  "verdict": "Medium risk — review before booking",
  "needs_manual_review": true,
  "knockout": { "triggered": false, "reasons": [] },
  "reasons": [
    {
      "check": "Unsafe Driving BASIC over threshold",
      "area": "Safety & Roadside",
      "severity": "medium",
      "detail": "Unsafe Driving BASIC at or above the intervention threshold.",
      "facts": [{ "label": "Unsafe Driving measure", "value": "12.4" }]
    }
  ],
  "data_confidence": 0.75,
  "model_version": "dt-trust-v3.5-sandbox",
  "calculated_at": "2026-10-15T10:00:00Z"
}

You can look a carrier up by MC number instead: ?mc_number=MC1000003.

4. Act on the decision#

Most integrations branch on decision and show reasons to whoever makes the call:

switch (score.decision) {
  case "approved":
    return tender(load, carrier);
  case "review":
    return sendToCarrierDesk(carrier, score.reasons); // a person decides
  case "high_risk":
  case "rejected":
    return block(carrier, score.verdict);
}

How the score works explains each decision. Reading a response covers every field.

5. Handle the failures#

Test these against the sandbox before you go live:

See Errors for every error code.

6. Go live#

Swap the base URL for https://api.dollartraq.com and the key for your dt_live_ key. Going live has the checklist.