New action plan targets fraud, safety, and regulatory gaps in U.S. trucking

Celeste Polidori
December 10, 2025

A roadmap to reform: how TAEC plans to eliminate fraud in American trucking

A broad group of state trucking associations has published an action plan identifying seven areas vulnerable to exploitation by malicious actors, as well as proposed solutions to eliminate these fraud schemes.

Titled “The Fight for Fairness and Safety: Paving the Way for the Resurgence of Trucking,” the plan highlights that the U.S. trucking industry is currently facing the emergence of actors who take advantage of legal loopholes and system failures to operate fraudulently. Although they represent a minority, they have a disproportionately negative impact on safety, fair competition, public perception, and the morale of industry professionals. The plan offers solutions to address this issue.

The document was prepared by the Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC) working group, made up of leading directors and chief executive officers from several U.S. state trucking associations. These representatives come from organizations in states such as Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Iowa, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Texas, who collaborated to provide the industry’s perspective and experience from different regions of the country.

TAEC: the 7 major vulnerabilities in the trucking sector and how to fix them

In its report, TAEC proposes technology-centered recommendations, such as data analysis using artificial intelligence, integrated databases to prevent carrier fraud, and improved verification systems to ensure regulatory compliance. All of this aims to make more effective use of existing data to identify and eliminate bad actors within the sector.

“These reforms protect American jobs and save lives,” said John Esparza, president and CEO of the Texas Trucking Association and a member of the TAEC.

Overall, the plan identifies seven major vulnerabilities considered the most critical problems where bad actors operate within the industry. In addition to naming them, it proposes solutions for each, following what TAEC considers the action plan should be.

1. Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Integrity

Solution: Close legal loopholes in commercial driver licensing.

2. Review of the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS)

Solution: Fix the United States’ flawed trucking safety data system through AI-driven data integration.

3. Cross-Border Integrity

Solution: Strengthen visa authorization and ensure qualifications before entry approval, systematically requiring ELP testing.

4. Reform of Non-Resident Commercial Driver Licensing

Solution: Enhance oversight and enforcement.

5. English Proficiency for Truck Drivers

Solution: Close critical safety gaps in commercial driver licensing.

6. Combating Trucking Fraud

Solution: Address broker and carrier fraud.

7. Electronic Records Integrity

Solution: End electronic logging device (ELD) tampering and hours-of-service fraud.

The report offers a detailed explanation of each point, arguing how they affect the trucking industry and the types of solutions that can be implemented to improve the sector. The full TAEC plan can be found on its website.

Conclusions

The initiative arises in a context of high transportation demand, frequent litigation, and unfair competition from illegal operators who commit fraud and violate safety regulations. The plan builds on recent federal measures, such as Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s directives to strictly enforce ELP requirements, review ELD certification, and remove noncompliant training providers.

According to TAEC, these actions have helped remove unsafe drivers from the roads, and its recommendations aim to extend accountability measures to all identified problem areas.