REVOKE Act Targets Chameleon Carriers and USDOT Registration Evasion

On September 4, Congressman Shomari C. Figures and Congressman Dave Taylor introduced the Registration Enforcement for Vehicles Operated by Known Evasive Carriers Act (REVOKE Act), which seeks to strengthen the authority of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to prevent motor carriers identified as “chameleon carriers” from exploiting the USDOT’s registration systems to operate illegally on U.S. roads.

The new legislation is intended to ensure that every commercial motor vehicle traveling on U.S. roads is operated by a driver who complies with the rules, “not by a violator hiding behind inactive or illegitimate USDOT numbers,” Congressman Taylor said.

The REVOKE Act would give the Department of Transportation the tools it needs to put an end to this dangerous practice while keeping unqualified and unsafe operators off U.S. roads and preventing unnecessary tragedies caused by reckless CDL-licensed drivers, Taylor said.

REVOKE Act: Eliminating Chameleon Carriers

Alex Rosen, Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs at the American Trucking Associations (ATA), said that the trucking industry is committed to maintaining the highest safety standards on U.S. roads. For this reason, ATA appreciates FMCSA’s ongoing efforts to identify and eliminate violators who attempt to evade regulations.

“Chameleon carriers evade federal oversight by cycling through new registrations, putting everyone at risk. The trucking industry is committed to maintaining the highest safety standards on U.S. roads, which is why we appreciate FMCSA’s continued efforts to identify and eliminate violators who attempt to evade the rules. ATA applauds Representatives Taylor and Figures for introducing this legislation to strengthen the integrity of our nation’s motor carrier safety framework,” Rosen said.

The REVOKE Act therefore seeks to strengthen FMCSA enforcement by implementing tougher measures against carriers attempting to operate under inactive USDOT numbers. Specifically, the bill would:

• Affirm that a carrier’s USDOT number must be active in order to legally operate on U.S. roads.
• Clarify that the Secretary of Transportation will issue an active USDOT number to a person or employer only after determining that all registration requirements have been met.
• Grant the Secretary of Transportation the authority to immediately deactivate a person’s or company’s USDOT number if they do not have a valid registration or fail to complete the periodic updates required by the Secretary.

“Chameleon carriers have evaded accountability simply by changing their U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number and reappearing under a new name. I am proud to introduce this common-sense legislation alongside Congressman Taylor to combat this problem and improve roadway safety for families in Alabama and across the country,” Congressman Figures said.

With the REVOKE Act, FMCSA aims to help keep U.S. roads safe while giving the trucking industry confidence that the issue of “chameleon” carriers is being addressed with the seriousness it deserves.