Agency developing plan to weed out ‘chameleon’ carriers

Updated Jul 2, 2013

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported to Congress in June that it could begin a process by 2015 to screen out “chameleon” carriers, if funding for the program holds up.

Chameleon carriers (aka reincarnated carriers) are trucking companies that apply for authority under a new name to disguise a former identity or evade FMCSA. The businesses are mostly the same, but the name is different.

The Government Accountability Office released a report last year saying FMCSA should expand its review process in an attempt to better target chameleon carrier applicants. Congress asked for the changes to the carrier vetting system, and FMCSA began last year developing a spec’s for modifying its information technology systems to improve the vetting process.

Overdrive sister site CCJ has a full story on FMCSA’s report to Congress on chameleon carriers — Click here to see it.