The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA’s) rollout of its new “Motus” registration system is creating problems for some US motor carriers, including unexpected deactivation of Department of Transportation (DOT) registration numbers that, in some cases, have temporarily prevented otherwise legitimate carriers from operating.
Motus is a key plank in the FMCSA’s campaign to root out “chameleon carriers” that continue to operate after being shut down for safety violations, a one-stop registration system requiring identity verification. FMCSA began implementing Motus in December and entered “phase II” of its rollout in May, asking carriers to register through the system.
“Their rollout hasn’t been great; it’s been a challenge,” P. Sean Garney, co-director of Scopelitis Transportation Consulting, told the Journal of Commerce. “As they continue to sort of fix things, we’re seeing ongoing bugs.”
Garney said his firm has worked with several trucking companies experiencing Motus-related problems, including companies that have found incorrect or outdated licensing and insurance information associated with their records.
“We are undoubtedly hearing instances where carriers have had their DOT numbers unexpectedly inactivated because of erroneous or outdated licensing and insurance information,” he said.
For shippers and brokers, the “bugs” in the system can further tighten capacity but also make it more difficult to vet carriers before tendering freight. That’s an issue gaining traction following the US Supreme Court’s May decision in Montgomery vs. Caribe Transports LLC, which is seen as increasing broker and shipper liability risk.
For carriers, incorrect information in Motus can mean an out-of-service order. Garney said his firm also has heard of conflicts between state and federal enforcement systems that have resulted in trucks being placed out of service.
“There are material impacts happening to carriers because this information is incorrect,” Garney said. “Carriers get stuck in the lurch and sometimes they can’t operate till they get it fixed.”
Bumpy, but necessary, modernization
FMCSA has publicly acknowledged problems with the transition.
On June 22, the agency temporarily suspended the deactivation of USDOT numbers for entities that had not completed required biennial updates since June 1, saying the step was intended to reduce disruption. FMCSA said registrants should not worry about inactivation resulting from Motus-related access or system issues.
The agency’s website also carries an alert for users unable to claim a USDOT record when an email address has inadvertently been registered under the Transportation Service Provider role. FMCSA directs affected users to close that account and, if the problem persists, submit a support ticket and documentation establishing ownership.
FMCSA did not respond to Journal of Commerce questions seeking the number of affected Motus accounts or when the system is expected to be fully stabilized.
American Trucking Associations (ATA) President Chris Spear acknowledged implementation difficulties in written testimony to a Senate Commerce subcommittee June 9. Spear said ATA strongly supports the modernization effort as FMCSA continues “refining the platform and addressing implementation challenges.”
Garney said some affected carriers have turned to his firm after unsuccessfully trying to resolve problems through FMCSA’s customer service channels.
His firm has helped clients by collecting individual cases and bringing them to FMCSA officials who can address them. Garney said agency officials have responded quickly when specific problems reach the appropriate people.
He acknowledged that some difficulties stem from additional identity-verification requirements central to FMCSA’s effort to combat fraud, creating a balance between stopping fraudulent operators and avoiding barriers for legitimate carriers.
Still, Garney said replacing FMCSA’s older systems is necessary.
“I’m happy that they’re modernizing,” he said. “I’m just sad that the industry has to feel the pain as they go.”
Scale of transition is sizeable
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs describes Motus — a name derived from Latin for “motion” — as central to the agency’s effort to stop registration fraud and identify chameleon carriers attempting to evade federal safety oversight.
“You are not able to get into Motus without having some sort of business verification, ID verification for the individuals who are responsible for safety at those motor carriers,” Barrs said during a recent interview on SiriusXM’s “On the Move” news program.
Barrs said FMCSA also is examining relationships among companies and individuals suspected of using multiple identities.
“We are looking into those and investigating those individuals that we believe are on the top list of our chameleon carrier list that are evading safety,” he said.
The scale of the transition has been substantial. Barrs said in early June that during Motus’ first week, the system received 120,000 new user applications, processed more than 10,000 regulated-entity applications and helped more than 13,000 motor carriers claim their USDOT numbers.