WASHINGTON —The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is supporting the Registration Enforcement for Vehicle Operations of Known Evaders (REVOKE) Act which is aimed at chameleon carriers.
The REVOKE Act was introduced by Congressmen Dave Taylor (R-OH) and Shomari Figures (D-AL), the founding co-chairs of the Congressional Trucking Caucus. Their legislation would strengthen U.S. Department of Transportation authority to prevent chameleon carriers from exploiting registration systems to illegally operate on American roads.
“Chameleon carriers evade federal oversight by cycling through new registrations, putting everyone at risk,” said Alex Rosen, ATA senior vice president of legislative affairs. “The trucking industry is committed to maintaining the highest safety standards on America’s highways, which is why we appreciate FMCSA’s ongoing efforts to identify and remove bad actors who attempt to circumvent the rules. The REVOKE Act would enhance FMCSA’s enforcement actions by cracking down on carriers seeking to operate under inactive USDOT numbers. ATA applauds Reps. Taylor and Figures for introducing this legislation to strengthen the integrity of our nation’s motor carrier safety framework.”
Chameleon Carriers
Chameleon carriers are high-risk trucking companies that are shut down and reopen under different identities—rotating through names, ownership structures, or USDOT registration numbers—to avoid penalties, enforcement actions, insurance consequences and public scrutiny. They often continue using the same trucks, managers, drivers and addresses while pretending to be a brand-new company.
The REVOKE Act
Specifically, the REVOKE Act:
- Affirms that a carrier’s USDOT number must be active in order for them to legally operate on American roadways.
- Clarifies that the Secretary of Transportation will only issue an active USDOT number to an individual or employer once determining that all requirements for registration are met.
- Grants the Secretary of Transportation authority to immediately inactivate the USDOT number of an individual or employer if they do not have valid registration, or if they fail to make any required periodic updates to the Secretary.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
