U.S. transportation officials say that a new trucking registration system will help to fight back against bad actors within the trucking and transportation industry.
On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator (FMCSA) announced the rollout of Motus, a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) registration system that will replace the legacy registration systems.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared the video below to announce the Motus system.
Officials say that Motus will allow USDOT to employ “biometrics and modern data analytics to verify that those who apply for these numbers are who they say they are.”
Motus will integrate mandatory identity verification protocols, including government-issued IDs and digital facial scans as well as third-party business validation, in an effort to curb fraud.
FMCSA explains how the legacy registration system was exploited by fraudsters:
“For decades, commercial trucking in America has been overseen by a fractured, legacy IT system. This outdated registration system operates on a low-barrier, minimal-validation framework – making it alarmingly simple for fraudsters to register as motor carriers. All they needed was an email, name, and physical address.
This vulnerability is compounded by the fact that trucking registration and compliance data are scattered across five or six disconnected applications. This patchwork has created rampant data sprawl, critical information silos, and systemic blind spots. It’s the perfect storm that lets bad drivers and fraudulent companies easily shed their negative safety records, spin up new corporate identities, and evade federal oversight.
The result? These high-risk “chameleon” and reincarnated carriers are unleashing unsafe trucks onto American roadways and exposing the public to preventable, catastrophic risks.“
FMCSA pointed to “several thousand suspicious registration numbers tied to fraudulent carriers” under the legacy systems.
Officials tout additional Motus benefits including a more user-friendly platform, increased accuracy in registration data, and increased oversight of high-risk carriers.
“Dangerous foreign drivers and the shell companies who employ them have been taking advantage of this lax, decrepit federal registration system for years. The lack of accountability is disturbing, and it’s killed American families on our roads,” said Duffy. “Thanks to President Trump, we are delivering a new registration system that will stop fraud dead in its tracks and strengthen oversight on shady carriers. And for good, honest drivers who follow the rules — our new system will improve customer service, enhance reliability, and cut down on red tape. Today marks another important milestone in our crusade to make America’s roads safer, and it reflects the Trump Administration’s commitment to cracking down on fraud wherever it hides.”
“FMCSA’s registration modernization effort represents a major advancement in how the agency oversees and supports the commercial motor vehicle industry,” said FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs. “This system improves efficiency for legitimate carriers while strengthening FMCSA’s ability to detect fraud, improve data quality, and identify unsafe operators.”
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