Montgomery v. Caribe Transport: What the Supreme Court’s Broker Liability Decision Means for Trucking (for FMCSA)
The relationship between freight brokers and motor carriers is a central part of interstate trucking. Brokers arrange transportation, while carriers operate the trucks and employ or contract with drivers. When a serious crash occurs, questions can arise about whether the broker used reasonable care when selecting the carrier. The Supreme Court addressed an important part […]
How to File an MCS-150 Biennial Update: FMCSA Requirements and Deadlines
The MCS-150 biennial update helps the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration maintain accurate information about commercial transportation businesses. The form identifies a company’s legal name, addresses, operations, vehicles, drivers, and mileage. It is part of maintaining a USDOT registration, but it does not replace operating authority, insurance filings, or motor carrier safety obligations. For 2026, […]
MCS-150 Filing Guide: What Motor Carriers Need to Know in 2026
The MCS-150 is an important part of maintaining a commercial transportation company’s USDOT registration. It helps the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration keep current information about motor carriers and other regulated businesses, including company identity, operations, vehicles, drivers, and mileage. Under the normal federal schedule, registrants must complete a biennial update even when their company […]
DOT Roadside Inspections: What Truck Drivers and Motor Carriers Should Expect
A DOT roadside inspection is a safety examination of a commercial motor vehicle, its driver, or both. Inspections help enforcement personnel identify unsafe equipment, driver qualification issues, hours-of-service violations, and other regulatory problems. For truck drivers and motor carriers, knowing what an inspection involves can reduce avoidable delays and support safer operations. This guide explains […]
UCR Registration Requirements for Trucking Companies: A 2027 Compliance Guide
Unified Carrier Registration, commonly called UCR, is an annual registration requirement for many businesses involved in interstate commercial transportation. It applies to more than large trucking fleets. Depending on the operation, owner-operators, private carriers, freight brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies may also need to register. UCR is one part of transportation compliance. It does […]
FMCSA English-Language Proficiency Requirements: What Truck Drivers and Motor Carriers Need to Know
English-language proficiency is a federal driver qualification requirement for commercial motor vehicle operators covered by 49 CFR Part 391. The requirement is not new. However, FMCSA strengthened roadside enforcement in 2025, making an English-language proficiency violation a potential immediate out-of-service event. Since then, the agency has revised its inspection guidance and proposed additional regulatory changes. […]
Non-Domiciled CDL Restrictions: What Carriers Should Review
The regulatory environment surrounding commercial driver’s licenses has changed significantly. For motor carriers, the issue is no longer limited to asking whether a driver possesses a CDL. Carriers increasingly need to understand whether the license remains valid, whether restrictions apply, whether the driver’s licensing status has changed, and whether the company’s driver qualification procedures are […]
CDL School Crackdowns in 2027: What Training Providers, Carriers, and Drivers Should Expect Under Increased Federal Enforcement
Federal scrutiny of commercial driver’s license training is increasing rapidly. Over the past year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has removed thousands of training providers and locations from the federal Training Provider Registry, placed thousands more under review, expanded investigations into suspected fraudulent training activity, and announced additional scrutiny of third-party CDL skills testers […]
How to check whether your UCR Filing is Current
Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) is an annual compliance requirement for motor carriers, motor private carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies that fall within the UCR program. For many transportation businesses, completing the registration itself is only part of the responsibility. The next question is equally important: How do you know whether your UCR registration […]
2027 UCR Registration: Dates, Deadlines, Fees and What Carriers Should Know
The 2027 Unified Carrier Registration season is approaching, and this year’s registration cycle deserves more attention than a routine annual renewal. For 2027, FMCSA has proposed an average UCR fee increase of approximately 20%, with increases ranging from $9 for the smallest bracket to $9,329 for the largest. The UCR Plan recommended the increase after […]