diff --git a/api/src/routes/dot-lookup.ts b/api/src/routes/dot-lookup.ts
index 2dd581d..6e9d995 100644
--- a/api/src/routes/dot-lookup.ts
+++ b/api/src/routes/dot-lookup.ts
@@ -66,23 +66,13 @@ router.get("/api/v1/dot/lookup", async (req, res) => {
     );
     const census = local.rows[0] || null;
 
-    // 2. Live FMCSA API — wrapped so a timeout or outage still returns census data
-    let carrier: any = null;
-    try {
-      const snapshot = await fmcsaFetch(rawDot);
-      carrier = snapshot?.content?.carrier || null;
-    } catch {
-      // FMCSA live API unavailable — continue with local census data
-    }
+    // 2. Live FMCSA API (returns null on any failure — already non-throwing)
+    const snapshot = await fmcsaFetch(rawDot);
+    const carrier = snapshot?.content?.carrier || null;
 
-    // 3. Authority check — also non-fatal
-    let authorities: any[] = [];
-    try {
-      const authorityData = await fmcsaFetch(`${rawDot}/authority`);
-      authorities = (authorityData?.content || []).map((a: any) => a.carrierAuthority);
-    } catch {
-      // Authority lookup failed — skip, checks will use census data where possible
-    }
+    // 3. Authority check
+    const authorityData = await fmcsaFetch(`${rawDot}/authority`);
+    const authorities = (authorityData?.content || []).map((a: any) => a.carrierAuthority);
 
     if (!census && !carrier) {
       res.status(404).json({ error: `DOT# ${rawDot} not found.` });