With the White House’s release of an updated Unified Agenda of projected timelines for a bevy of new and in-progress regulations across the entire federal government, the trucking industry gained some insight about when to potentially expect numerous regulatory updates.
As reported earlier this week, some of the most-anticipated regulations coming from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — broker transparency, automatic emergency braking, English language proficiency — are slated to be released this month.
Others are a little farther out on the calendar, projected to release as late as November.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s also working on a number of rules that could impact trucking by greasing the skids for autonomous trucks.
Yet, outside of those more notable regs, there’s 19 others expected to see publication at some point this year, though missed deadlines are not uncommon with regulatory agendas as the dates provided are just projections.
Below, find a brief summary of rules on the docket, sorted by where they are in the regulatory process — final rule stage, supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) stage, or NPRM stage.
Final rule stage
- Independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act: The latest in the regulatory whiplash over what constitutes an independent contractor or employee classification, the Department of Labor is planning to publish a final rule by the end of October that potentially reverts the classification standard back to the rules established during the first Trump administration.
- Accident reporting — Modification to the definition of the term “Medical Treatment”: Among the rules FMCSA deemed to be “burdensome” in the Trump administration’s deregulatory efforts is this one to amend the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations regarding medical treatment away from an accident scene. The final rule is expected to be published this month.
- Hazmat and passenger commercial vehicles and railroad crossings: Also expected this month is a final rule to amend the FMCSRs related to driving a CMV at a highway-rail grade crossing. The rule would eliminate the mandatory stop at grade crossings currently required for drivers of certain CMVs and prohibit drivers of all CMVs from driving onto a grade crossing without exercising due caution (including slowing down, as necessary) upon approaching the crossing to ascertain safe clearance.
- Retroreflective sheeting on trailers: The final rule expected this month would rescind the requirements for retroreflective sheeting on semitrailers and trailers manufactured prior to Dec. 1, 1993, which is the compliance date for NHTSA’s conspicuity rules applicable to trailer manufacturers. The agency said it believes “the vast majority of trailers currently in use on the Nation’s highways were manufactured after 1993 so the retrofitting rule is no longer necessary.”
- Transportation of fuel for agricultural aircraft operations: This rule would amend the FMCSRs in response to the National Agricultural Aviation Association’s (NAAA) petition for rulemaking to allow states to waive the hazardous materials endorsement requirement for CDL holders who transport Jet A fuel in support of seasonal agricultural operations. NAAA requested that states be allowed to waive the hazardous materials endorsement requirement for CDL holders who support agricultural aircraft operations and transport no more than 1,000 gallons of aviation grade kerosene (Jet A), under certain limited conditions. The final rule is expected this month.
- CDL requirements — Increased flexibility for testing and for drivers after passing the skills test: This final rule, expected by the end of November, would finalize CDL testing changes proposed in 2024, allowing State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) to administer the CDL knowledge test prior to issuing a commercial learner’s permit (CLP), and to administer the CDL skills test to CLP holders who are domiciled in other states.
- Hours-of-service — transport of agricultural commodities: FMCSA plans to issue a final rule by the end of November that clarifies the definition of the terms “any agricultural commodity,” “livestock,” and “non-processed food,” as the terms are used in the definition of “agricultural commodity” for the purposes of hours-of-service regulations. This final rule would fully finalize the “interim final rule” published in 2020.
Supplemental NPRM stage
- Incorporation of 2025 and 2026 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria for hazmat safety permits: This rule would incorporate by reference the April 2025 and April 2026 updates to the out-of-service criteria for commercial motor vehicles, published by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), related to transporting transuranics and highway route controlled quantities of radioactive materials. This update is expected in July.
NPRM stage
- MAP-21 enhancements and updates to the Unified Registration System: This proposal, expected this month, would implement several provisions of the 2012 highway bill that relate to the FMCSA’s Unified Registration System (URS), as well as update and codify the agency’s procedures for granting, suspending, and revoking registration. These procedures would apply to all entities required to register under the agency’s jurisdiction. Many of the proposed provisions codify existing agency practices, while others improve on existing processes and procedures.
- Clarification to the applicability of emergency exemptions: In response to several petitions for reconsideration, FMCSA this month plans to propose amending the time limit for the automatic emergency relief exception for regional declarations of emergency, revert back to the 30-day limit which existed prior to the issuance of the October 2023 final rule.
- CDL standards — Incorporation by reference of a new State Procedures Manual: This NPRM planned for publication this month would incorporate by reference the updates to manuals published by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). FMCSA would amend its rules to update the current incorporation by reference, including the State Procedures Manual (SPM) for the CDL Information System (CDLIS) as referenced in 49 CFR 384.107.
- Fees for use of the CDLIS: This proposal would modify the fee system requirements to specify that the DOT or an authorized operator can collect user fees for accessing the CDLIS; and to use the collected fees to operate, maintain, develop, modernize, or enhance the CDLIS, including for related personnel and administration costs. The proposal is slated to publish this month.
- Fees for the UCR Plan and Agreement: The agency’s adjustment of annual registration fees for the Unified Carrier Registration system is expected to be proposed this month. The adjusted fees would be in effect for registration years beginning with 2027, until a new fee is established by a later rulemaking.
- ELD revisions: Since the implementation of the electronic logging device mandate, FMCSA noted that it has learned “many lessons” that “can be used to streamline and improve the clarity of the regulatory text and ELD specifications and answer recurring questions.” This NPRM, expected by the end of November, would propose technical modifications to the ELD rules.
- Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse revisions — controlled substances and alcohol use: By the end of November, FMCSA plans to propose changes to its drug and alcohol use and testing rules by increasing the availability of driver violation information in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse to keep unsafe drivers off the road. FMCSA will also propose changes to improve the efficiency of certain Clearinghouse processes to provide increased flexibility for drivers and employers, and further align Clearinghouse rules with underlying drug and alcohol use and testing regulations to improve compliance with, and enforcement of, these requirements.
- National registry of medical examiners — administrative removal of medical examiners: This proposal will provide an administrative removal process for medical examiners who are not in compliance with certain administrative requirements for continued listing on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. It’s expected to publish by the end of November.
- Driver qualifications — seizure standard: FMCSA plans to propose an update to the physical qualification standards for individuals with an established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition that could cause seizures. FMCSA plans by the end of November to propose to reduce the burden on individuals who have experienced a seizure, or who have been prescribed anti-seizure medication provided certain criteria are satisfied. The criteria would mirror those used for the agency’s Seizure Exemption Program, including a requirement for the drivers to obtain documentation from the treating neurologist that the individual has been seizure-free for a period of several years.
- Methods to demonstrate qualifications and knowledge of federal regs for household goods (HHG) motor carriers: This proposal would change the registration requirements for HHG carriers to only allow registration for a carrier that “demonstrates, before being registered, through successful completion of a proficiency examination established by the Secretary, knowledge and intent to comply with applicable Federal laws relating to consumer protection, estimating, consumers’ rights and responsibilities, and options for limitations of liability for loss and damage.” The NPRM is expected by the end of November.
- Preservation of records: This rulemaking, scheduled to publish by the end of November, would propose changes to the record retention requirements contained in appendix A to part 379 to remove overlapping and burdensome requirements, FMCSA said.
Jeremy Wolfe
Key takeaways
- The latest federal government regulatory agenda is live, outlining regulators’ vague plans for upcoming rulemakings.
- Several rulemakings, including changes to CDL standards and roadside inspection reporting, are in the final rule phase and could be implemented soon.
- In this article are the rulemakings that could impact fleets.
ID 32055688 © Charnsitr | Dreamstime.com
The latest federal regulatory agenda is now public, vaguely outlining the Department of Transportation’s regulatory plans.
The agenda gives fleets a solid idea of the final rules and proposals for the industry’s future, but it is far from a firm timeline for the industry’s next regulatory shifts.
Below are the agenda’s rulemakings that fleets will want to watch. These could appear in the near future as proposed rulemakings or final rules in the Federal Register.
The rulemakings in the proposed rule stage are waiting for a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM): they have limited information and probably a long path before taking effect.
Rulemakings in the final rule stage have an NPRM available online and are awaiting the rule’s final draft; these could take effect within a month of the final rule’s publication.
JJ Gouin | 2165453061 | Getty Images
High-impact rulemakings
First, here are the regulatory agenda items that could have the highest impact for fleets, if FMCSA publishes them:
Automated driving systems
An incoming NPRM would outline new regulations for the testing and deployment of automated driving systems. The Trump administration remains very interested in autonomous tech, and autonomous truck developers are already embedded in commercial operations, but federal rulemaking has so far been slow to arrive.
Training provider certification
An incoming NPRM would propose ways to strengthen the standards of FMCSA Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) training providers. The rulemaking may even require training providers to maintain some form of ongoing compliance to remain listed, rather than simple self-certification.
AEB testing procedures
FMCSA and NHTSA are planning a supplemental NPRM to comply with 2022’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This NPRM would propose test procedures for truck manufacturers’ automatic emergency braking (AEB). The first NPRM was published in 2023 under the Biden FMCSA.
New ELD specifications
An NPRM on the agenda could update electronic logging device (ELD) regulations. The rulemaking would “streamline and improve the clarity of regulatory text and ELD specifications.” FMCSA first issued an anticipatory NPRM (ANPRM) for these ELD revisions in 2022. It’s a Biden-era rulemaking with little progress, but because of FMCSA’s recent interest in driver regulatory enforcement, the rulemaking could see an update in the next few months.
Emergency exemption extensions
This rulemaking would extend the time limit for the automatic emergency relief exemption under a regional declaration of emergency, reverting from 14 days to 30 days. Not mentioned in the agenda posting, FMCSA had issued the NPRM in January.
Rulemakings to watch
These agenda items are less impactful but still worth monitoring. Some are designed specifically to make carriers’ lives easier by reducing regulatory burdens; others could be highly impactful but are just too early in the rulemaking process.
Carrier safety fitness determinations
This NPRM vaguely gestures toward “potential updates” to how FMCSA determines when a motor carrier is not fit to operate. The agency first asked for feedback on its safety fitness determination process in 2023, so there is a chance this rule is just a vestige of the Biden-era FMCSA.
Agricultural commodity hours of service
FMCSA’s yearslong rulemaking to codify HOS exemptions for drivers moving agricultural commodities is in its final rule phase. The rulemaking’s last update was in 2020, when the agency published an interim final rule.
No more self-reporting violations
FMCSA is proposing to remove the requirement that CDL holders self-report violations to their home state. The NPRM was published in 2025, and this change is now in the final rule phase.
English language out-of-service criteria
This NPRM could propose more formally codifying English Language Proficiency requirements as an out-of-service violation.
Submitting roadside inspection forms
This rulemaking, now in the final rule stage, would remove the requirement that motor carriers always submit completed Driver Vehicle Examination Reports (also known as Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports) to their issuing states. Instead, carriers would need to submit the form only if the state agency requests it.
Ending the required stop at railroad crossings
FMCSA’s rulemaking to eliminate the mandatory stop at highway-rail grade crossings is in the final rule phase. The agency issued an NPRM in May 2025 to propose less strict requirements: affected commercial vehicle drivers (e.g., bus drivers) would be able to pass a highway-rail crossing without stopping—if the crossing has an active warning device.
CDL standards
FMCSA is working to publish an NPRM to “enhance the security standards” of state-issued CDLs, including changes to record retention and document verification.
State CDL fees
This rulemaking would update FMCSA’s fee system for the Commercial Driver’s License Information System, adopting a user-fee-based approach. Not included in the regulatory agenda, this rulemaking already saw an NPRM in May.
Non-domiciled CDL limits
FMCSA has already issued the interim final rule on non-domiciled CDL limits but still has the final rule on its agenda. This rulemaking limits states’ authority to issue or renew non-domiciled CDLs.
More Clearinghouse information
One pending NPRM would propose “increasing the availability of driver information” from the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, among other unnamed process changes.
Fewer motor vehicle requirements
FMCSA has three rulemakings in the final rule phase that, if published, would remove several CMV equipment regulations. The requirements to be removed are rear impact guard labels, spare fuses, some tractor license plate lamps, portable conveyor brakes, and ELD manuals.
Mark Schremmer
Efforts to allow military veterans easy entry into the trucking industry aren’t new, but the current administration is making the recruitment a priority.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the creation of a “patriotic hiring campaign” called Freedom Haulers.
The turbo-charged recruitment effort follows implementation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s non-domiciled CDL rule, which is expected to remove nearly 200,000 truck drivers from the freight market.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are removing more and more dangerous foreign drivers off our roads every day and restoring the integrity of America’s trucking industry,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a news release. “Our new Freedom Haulers campaign will help build on these successes and get the word out that there’s never been a better time for America’s former service members to get behind the wheel of a big rig. Trucking requires the precision, independence and discipline that they forged in the military – there’s no one better to tackle the challenge. By answering the call, veterans can leverage their GI Bill benefits and take on a new, essential mission: keep America moving.”
The DOT said the “interagency effort” will let veterans know why their backgrounds make them a great fit for trucking. Additionally, the campaign attempts to connect veterans with the resources they need to earn a CDL.
“President Trump’s Freedom Haulers initiative is another victory for common sense,” Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said. “Instead of putting dangerous illegal immigrants on the road, we should be putting trust in our Veterans who have the discipline, determination and work ethic to succeed in this rewarding career path. VA already helps thousands of Veterans make this transition every year, and we stand ready to help thousands more.”
Earlier this month, Trump said the administration planned to create an express lane for military veterans to become truckers.
“My administration will soon take historic action to get illegal alien truck drivers who are just killing a lot of people,” Trump said this week during the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit. “They can’t read signs. Many of them are on drugs or alcohol, and they shouldn’t be driving these things. And they came in totally illegally. We don’t want them, but they are driving all over American roadways, and we’re going to replace them with proud American veterans.”
Trump later said that veterans who drove a heavy truck in the military will “automatically be eligible for a CDL.”
The Freedom Haulers initiative aims to build off existing efforts to convert military veterans into truck drivers. The military skills test waiver program, for instance, allows drivers with two years’ experience safely operating heavy military vehicles to obtain a CDL without taking the driving test. According to FMCSA, 40,000 service members and veterans have taken advantage of this program.
A new Freedom Haulers website was launched to provide information about the campaign, testimonials and steps that veterans can take to become a trucker.
To grab people’s attention for the program, DOT released an eye-catching video featuring clips from famous movies like “Die Hard” and “First Blood.” Click on link below to see video.
https://youtu.be/5iTB_I4MocI
The DOT was scheduled to host an event about the campaign on Monday, July 27, but it has been postponed. The Freedom Haulers website indicates that a “major announcement” is now planned for Thursday, July 30.
A Los Angeles Superior Court jury awarded $52.1 million after a motorcycle-truck crash, finding liability across a subcontracting chain.
A Los Angeles Superior Court jury’s $52.1 million verdict in Perrigo v. multiple trucking defendants underscores the expanding practical reach of vicarious liability in California motor-carrier operations. The case arose from an August 2021 motorcycle-truck collision in Santa Clarita and turned on how responsibility can attach across a subcontracting chain when freight is moved by an owner-operator or independent contractor. Although the dispute did not involve a freight broker, it highlights a recurring litigation question for transportation stakeholders: how far liability can extend up or down the supply chain when carriers outsource performance while maintaining a regulatory and public-safety duty.
Collision Facts and the Subcontracting Chain
Chad Perrigo was riding a motorcycle when he collided with a truck driven by Jorge Castaneda Rodriguez, who was operating equipment owned by Montecristo Trucking. The load originated under a U.S. Postal Service hauling contract, with performance ultimately passed through multiple entities before the trip involved in the crash. According to court filings summarized by the parties, the contract was held by Thunder Ridge Transport, subcontracted in full to Fames Transport, and then further subcontracted in part to Montecristo Trucking, for whom Rodriguez was driving at the time of impact.
The plaintiffs’ theory emphasized that the layered subcontracting did not eliminate downstream operational duties associated with safe transportation. The collision reportedly occurred at highway speed, and the plaintiffs contended that the driving circumstances reflected rule violations relevant to both fault and employment characterization. With multiple carriers in the chain, the litigation posture centered less on a single corporate defendant’s direct negligence and more on whether the legal structure of the relationships permitted the contracting carrier(s) to avoid responsibility for the conduct of the driver performing the work.
Vicarious Liability Framework Applied by the Trial Court
The verdict was entered under a vicarious responsibility theory. In jury instructions, Judge Michele Flurer defined vicarious responsibility as a circumstance where “an employer is responsible for harm caused by the wrongful conduct of its employees while acting within the scope of their employment.” The instruction set directed jurors to evaluate whether a carrier in the chain functioned as an employer despite contractual labels suggesting an independent-contractor relationship.
As framed at trial, Fames Transport became a focal point because it was the entity that subcontracted the work to Montecristo, connecting it most directly to the trip during which the crash occurred. The jury was instructed to look beyond a single “right of control” inquiry and consider the full nature of the relationship, including whether the company supplied equipment or tools, whether the work performed was part of the regular business of the alleged employer, whether the driver was engaged in a distinct occupation, and whether the parties believed they had an employer-employee relationship. This approach reflects a fact-intensive analysis that can expose a carrier to liability when the operational reality resembles employment, even if the paperwork is structured otherwise.
Trial Theories, Hours-of-Service Allegations, and Damages
The plaintiffs were Chad Perrigo and his wife, Alexa Perrigo, who asserted a derivative claim for loss of consortium based on the injuries allegedly suffered in the collision. The jury awarded $52.1 million in total damages. The defendants included Thunder Ridge Transport, Fames Transport, Montecristo Trucking, and Rodriguez, reflecting the lawsuit’s emphasis on accountability across the contracting chain rather than only the entity that owned the truck or employed the driver in a traditional sense.
Plaintiffs’ counsel Khail A. Parris of PARRIS Law Firm attributed the jury’s determination to the argument that Rodriguez was operating in violation of federal Hours of Service requirements at the time of the crash. Hours-of-service compliance can be consequential in cases of severe injury because it bears on whether driving was legally permitted, whether fatigue may be inferred, and whether contracting entities maintained safety oversight. The plaintiffs also pointed to California’s doctrinal treatment of a motor carrier’s duties as nondelegable, an approach that, in practice, can limit the extent to which subcontracting alone insulates upstream carriers from the conduct of those performing regulated transportation work.
Operational and Legal Implications for Motor Carriers Using Contractors
Commentary surrounding the verdict emphasized that the outcome should be read as a compliance and risk-structure warning for carriers that rely heavily on subcontractors or owner-operators. Richard Reibstein of Troutman Pepper Locke, who focuses on independent contractor law, characterized the verdict as a “cautionary tale” for companies and contractors involved in freight transportation and stressed the importance of documenting and implementing independent-contractor relationships in a manner that aligns with applicable law. While the verdict itself does not set binding precedent, it illustrates the litigation exposure that can arise when contractual allocation of responsibility diverges from how work is directed and integrated in practice.
For motor carriers operating in California, the case also reinforces that liability analysis can follow the movement of freight through successive agreements, especially where public-safety duties are treated as nondelegable. The legal takeaway is not that subcontracting is prohibited, but that outsourcing performance does not automatically outsource accountability. In high-severity crashes, plaintiffs may test the full chain of contracting relationships, and courts may permit juries to evaluate whether an “independent contractor” label reflects the real-world relationship for purposes of vicarious responsibility.
Last week, a Dallas County Court jury handed down a $604 million verdict against a broker and a carrier in Lipe v. Lupus Superior LLC & C.H. Robinson Company, Inc. The accident occurred in March of 2021 when a truck driver employed by Lupus Superior failed to brake and rear-ended vehicles stopped in traffic on I-20 in Jackson, Mississippi. As a result of the collision, there were 3 fatalities and 14 additional individuals were injured. The nuclear verdict was not due to punitive damages, but rather compensatory damages, including mental anguish, loss of consortium, and other damages. Liability theories against C.H. Robinson (CHR) included negligent selection and vicarious liability associated with allegations that CHR controlled the carrier’s driver’s actions at the time of the accident.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys presented evidence that CHR scheduled, tracked, and permitted the driver to continue driving despite the driver reporting that he was sick. CHR tried to cast doubt on the sickness claim given the driver’s 600-mile detour and disabled tracking device. Plaintiffs’ attorneys convinced the jury that CHR had the right to call the driver, reschedule the delivery, and tell the driver to stop driving. In addition, plaintiffs’ attorneys argued that CHR, through its load confirmation document, notified Lupus Superior that fines and penalties for late delivery were applicable and that late delivery could impact future business opportunities, which plaintiffs’ attorneys characterized as coercive.
Lupus Superior had a Satisfactory Safety Fitness Determination issued in 2014, which was confirmed by additional recent reviews, including one post-accident. Lupus Superior was above FMCSA intervention thresholds in both the Unsafe Driving BASIC and Hours of Service BASIC, and both BASICs had been in that status for a lengthy period of time approaching or exceeding one year. Plaintiffs’ expert testified that less than 1% of motor carriers have two or more above-threshold BASIC scores, an argument that appears to be based on the number of carriers that have no BASIC scores due to insufficient data. CHR allegedly did not use BASICs in its vetting criteria at the time.
The case is reportedly likely to be appealed. CHR was assessed 23% of the fault, with the deceased driver assessed 45% and Lupus Superior assessed 32%. Plaintiffs’ attorneys argued that CHR should be 51% liable, apparently attempting to make CHR jointly and severally liable for the entire $604 million award. However, the joint and several liability associated with attributing the driver’s fault to CHR would appear to leave CHR potentially facing the full weight of the nuclear verdict if the verdict is not overturned or settled.
As a result of this Texas verdict, issued on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s May 14th decision in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, negligent selection and entrustment claims are top of mind more than ever throughout the industry. We would expect to see an uptick in these types of claims leveled against logistics companies.
Any company that selects motor carriers to transport freight should re-evaluate its current practices to confirm those practices are on as solid footing as possible—or, if companies do not have such practices, adopt them as soon as possible. Companies should also immediately assess insurance coverage and the extent to which that coverage extends to these types of claims. The Firm has a Broker Health Check Review process to assist companies with reviewing insurance coverage and current carrier selection practices and, where a written policy is not in place, establishing those practices in the first instance. The Broker Health Check Review includes a menu of options for assessing current vetting criteria and procedures, written agreements with third-party motor carriers, and the company’s current carrier base. The Firm can also support logistics clients by providing a practical, targeted assessment of more material risks and recommendations in this changing legal landscape.
Todd Dills
During Roadcheck 2026, Overdrive headed out to a Tennessee inspection station in Giles County on I-65 to see firsthand how troopers are hunting “chameleon carriers” and combating electronic logging device tampering, shown in prior reporting in use by such carriers.
The three-day enforcement surge had that new ELD tampering target on the radar: a sophisticated hack that relies on backend software, sometimes in concert with ELD providers themselves, to retroactively alter logs in real time.
In the video above, our interview of Tennessee Highway Patrol Lieutenant Chris Brooks makes abundantly clear that his state’s inspectors have seen it happen even while the truck is actively sitting at the roadside being inspected, likewise just how difficult this kind of wholesale ELD falsification can be to otherwise detect.
To catch manipulation and freeze the evidence before a remote office wipes a violation from hundreds of miles away, troopers are learning to change roadside tactics, though many admit they’re “behind the curve” on the hack.
Evidence backs that up.
Roughly half of all states, including Tennessee, issued fewer than 10 such violations, if any, in the first two months since use of the new out-of-service violation code began April 1. In the month since Overdrive first documented where tampering enforcement’s happening, the 10 toughest states ranked below remain the same, if in slightly different order, according our sister Fusable data company RigDig’s accounting.
Arizona and Oregon clearly have a leg up, though both declined to publicize their methods.
“As you can imagine, we cannot share our techniques,” said an Oregon DOT spokesperson in this prior report. Arizona admitted their numbers don’t correspond directly to individual out-of-service orders for the violations, given multiple violations possible on a single inspection report.
In the video, though, Tennessee Lieutenant Brooks shared that the goal for troopers is to build a paper trail out of a digital ecosystem, relying on immediate roadside photo documentation paired with high-definition bodycam footage.
The reality that lingers behind the fraud for honest owner-operators is, of course, unfair competition. Sometimes, too, another massive headache.
Brooks said chameleon fleets have been seen manufacturing fake lease agreements on the fly to spoof clean USDOT numbers, leaving above-board carriers trapped working the slow-moving DataQs system to file challenges and clear the record of wrongfully assigned violations.
Brooks also emphasized that roadside inspectors and state and federal investigators are working to share information and cross-reference databases to identify common chameleon ownership and operations (ELD vendors, too) up the chain.
He offered some hope, too, that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motus registration system, though clearly a work in progress, succeeds in a key goal: to block bad actors from the freight ecosystem for good.
