Trucking news and briefs for Monday, May 18, 2026:
Trucking orgs band together to urge passage of chameleon carrier legislation
Some of the nation’s largest trucking organizations have found common ground in the fight against the scourge of chameleon carriers skirting safety regulations and starting new motor carriers to avoid penalties for poor safety performance.
A new letter sent by a coalition of eight trucking organizations to Reps. Sam Graves (R-Missouri) and Rick Larsen (D-Washington), the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, urges the advancement of the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act, introduced by Rep. Harriett Hageman (R-Wyoming) earlier this year.
The coalition in the latter said chameleon carriers “are high-risk CMV operators that routinely shut down and reopen under different identities, cycling through names, ownership structures, or Department of Transportation (DOT) numbers to escape penalties, enforcement actions, and other accountability measures. … Permitting these dangerous carriers to simply affix a new name and DOT number to get back on the road without further repercussions cannot continue, as the consequences can be devastating.”
Hageman’s bill would require the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to “conduct a study on chameleon carriers in the United States and plan, develop, and test an advanced automation tool to help enforcement personnel detect chameleon carrier applications under the registration process of the Department of Transportation,” the bill reads.
A report submitted to Congress within a year of the bill being enacted would include:
- The estimated number of chameleon carriers on U.S. roadways at any given time
- The prevalence of chameleon carriers on U.S. roadways since the issuance of a 2012 report from the Government Accountability Office related to chameleon carriers
- The estimated number of fatalities, serious bodily injuries and amount of property damage caused by chameleon carriers since the GAO report, including the number of fatalities broken down by state
- An identification and analysis of the methods and techniques used by chameleon carriers to evade federal enforcement, including how such methods and techniques have evolved over time
- An identification and analysis of the existing monitoring and enforcement capabilities, along with any shortcomings, of the DOT to detect and mitigate chameleon carrier activity
- Any other relevant priorities deemed necessary by the DOT, and any legislative recommendations to address chameleon carriers
The automation tool required by the bill would include the ability to detect chameleon carrier-like characteristics that support evidence of substantial continuity between entities, the ability to detect lapses in insurance coverage, among other features.
The trucking organizations said the bill “leverages advanced automation and other forms of emerging technologies for use in” FMCSA’s “registration system to accurately and promptly catch these chameleon carriers at the start before they are ever allowed on the road.”
“With FMCSA already making progress toward achieving these objectives, advancing the SAFE Act will codify ongoing efforts, thereby establishing clear, Congressional guardrails while providing certainty for the future,” the groups concluded. “We urge the advancement of the SAFE Act at the earliest possible opportunity and believe it would be right for inclusion in the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization.”
Organizations that signed onto the letter include the American Trucking Associations, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, international Brotherhood of Teamsters, Truckload Carriers Association, Truck Safety Coalition, American Truckers United, National Tank Truck Carriers, and the Transportation Intermediaries Association.
[Related: Legislation takes aim at ‘chameleon carriers’]
FTR Transportation Conference to focus on market uncertainty
FTR Transportation Intelligence will host its annual Transportation Conference Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 in Indianapolis. The event brings together senior leaders across trucking, rail, and shipping to navigate one of the most complex freight environments in recent memory.
With freight demand, fuel markets, regulatory timelines, and global trade policy all in flux, the 2026 conference centers on a single premise: in uncertain conditions, better intelligence leads to better decisions.
This year’s event is organized into three focused tracks, each delivering end-to-end market analysis for its respective segment:
- Truck Track – Aug. 31 to Sept. 1: Covering both truck freight and equipment dynamics, this track provides carriers, OEMs, suppliers, and investors with a comprehensive view of the trucking cycle – from freight demand trends and rate cycles to Class 8 production, trailer demand, regulatory impacts, and the evolving driver environment.
- Freight Track – Sept. 1-2: Built around the shipper perspective, this track examines how macroeconomic conditions translate into freight demand across modes. Sessions cover contract vs. spot rate dynamics, modal competition, supply chain strategy, and cost management – providing shippers, brokers, and logistics leaders with a clearer framework for budgeting and procurement.
- Rail Track – Sept. 2-3: Designed for railroads, lessors, manufacturers, and financial stakeholders, this track provides in-depth analysis of carload trends, intermodal flows, rail network performance, and railcar supply-and-demand fundamentals, including leasing markets, fleet dynamics, and long-term capital deployment strategies.
Discounted registration is available now for all three tracks, but only through June 19. Attendees are encouraged to register early to lock in savings and secure their spot.
Full session agendas and registration can be found here.
