Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, July 29, 2026:
- “Chameleon carriers” remain in Congress’ crosshairs.
- Major interstate partially reopens after 2-month closure.
- States to truckers: Be aware of vehicle, bridge heights.
Senate introduces bill to address ‘chameleon carriers’
The U.S. Senate this week introduced its version of the “Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act,” which aims to eliminate so-called “chameleon carriers” in trucking.
The Senate’s bill, introduced by Sens. Todd Young (R-Indiana) and Andy Kim (D-New Jersey), varies slightly from the version of the SAFE Act introduced in the U.S. House earlier this year. Rather than the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration being directed to conduct a study on chameleon carriers, as required in the House version, the Senate version directs the study to be conducted by the Comptroller General of the United States within the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
The Comptroller’s report would be required to include:
- The estimated number of chameleon carriers on U.S. roadways at any given time
- The prevalence of chameleon carriers since GAO’s 2012 report on chameleon carriers
- The estimated number of fatalities and serious injuries caused by chameleon carriers in each state since GAO’s 2012 report
- The estimated amount of property damage caused by chameleon carriers since the 2012 GAO report
- An identification and analysis of the methods and techniques used by chameleon carriers to evade federal enforcement, including how those methods have evolved over time
- An identification and analysis of the existing monitoring and enforcement capabilities, along with any shortcomings, of the DOT to detect and mitigate chameleon carrier activity
The remainder of the legislation aligns with the House version. Among provisions of the legislation, the FMCSA would be required to “develop, test and implement an advanced automation tool to help” FMCSA personnel detect chameleon carrier applications during the registration process.
“When unsafe trucking companies evade enforcement by reopening under a new identity, everyone who shares the road with them is put at greater risk,” Sen. Young said in introducing the legislation. “Our bill will help federal regulators to identify these fraudulent operators before they hit the road, strengthening highway safety and potentially saving lives.”
[Related: Prime Route Transport, a Super Ego 'chameleon' fleet, accused of ELD cheating with video evidence]
“Chameleon” or “reincarnated” carriers and/or brokers obtain authority over and over in attempts to outrun safety-record and/or insurance/bonding issues. It's an issue that's been on FMCSA's radar for well more than a decade and recently gained national attention when CBS’ 60 Minutes, with the help of Overdrive’s sister company CAB, whose authority-risk analysis tool flags hallmarks of chameleon operations like common owners, contact phones and specific trucks shared across operations. Reporting this year put a spotlight on Super Ego and its alleged chameleon carrier network.
Numerous trucking organizations, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, American Trucking Associations, American Truckers United and others, offered their support for the bill.
“Chameleon carriers have undermined America’s highway safety and damaged the professionalism of the trucking industry by evading enforcement, dodging penalties, and reopening under new identities,” said OOIDA President Todd Spencer. “Law-abiding small business truckers strongly support Senator Young and Senator Kim’s bipartisan SAFE Act. This legislation will help identify and weed out bad actors before they have the opportunity to ever become chameleon carriers, helping stop fraud before it occurs. OOIDA and our members applaud the introduction of this important bill in the Senate.”
[Related: Aim 'chameleon carrier' outrage at the real culprits]
I-65 in Louisville partially reopens ahead of schedule as construction continues
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and state transportation officials on Tuesday announced that I-65 through downtown Louisville is reopening three days ahead of schedule today, Wednesday, July 29.
The reopening restores two travel lanes in each direction and is a major milestone in the I-65 Central Corridor Project. The reopening follows a planned two-month closure to allow crews to accelerate replacing three aging bridges. With travel lanes open, construction will continue as work progresses to complete the project.
“We know how important this corridor is to Louisville, and today we’re excited to reopen it ahead of schedule so families, visitors, businesses and more can get back to their regular commutes,” said Beshear. “Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to complete this project ahead of time and deliver safer roads and bridges for Kentucky families.”
The full five-mile corridor of I-65 between the Watterson Expressway (I-264) and downtown Louisville (Jefferson Street) reopened early Wednesday morning. A two-mile section of southbound I-65 between University Boulevard and the Watterson Expressway reopened in late June.
Construction is still ongoing with lanes open now as the I-65 bridges over Kentucky Street/Brook Street, Hill Street/CSX Railroad/Burnett Avenue and Bradley Avenue are being replaced. Accelerated work during the closure has saved at least a year of additional restrictions and delays on I-65, officials noted.
So far, crews have set around 70 steel beams and more than 200 precast deck panels. Construction on the three bridges is expected to be complete in March 2027.
Drivers traveling through Louisville are still encouraged to use the signed detour in place (I-264) to avoid construction.
“It’s fantastic to know that I-65 will soon open to traffic,” said Matt Bullock, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 5 Chief District Engineer. “However, it’s important for drivers to note this remains a construction zone. Drivers not stopping in Louisville should still follow the signed detour while local drivers should keep using real-time mapping apps for the best route to use.”
[Related: Indiana police recover $11M in stolen cargo]
States launch bridge height awareness campaign
The Eastern Transportation Coalition is hosting a "Check Your Height, Know It's Right" campaign around bridge height awareness this week.Indiana DOT
A group of 19 state transportation agencies and Washington, D.C., led by The Eastern Transportation Coalition (TETC), are participating in a campaign this week aimed at helping drivers avoid striking low bridges with their vehicles or oversize loads.
The "Check Your Height, Know It's Right" campaign encourages drivers to ensure their vehicle or load is not too tall to safely fit under bridges that extend over state and local roadways. Bridge strikes not only damage vehicles and infrastructure, but also cause delays and put the traveling public and emergency responders at risk.
The "Check Your Height" campaign targets all classes of drivers operating commercial trucks, leased trucks (such as delivery and moving box-type trucks), recreational and construction vehicles.
According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, which is participating in the campaign, crash data shows that drivers may not always consider vehicle height and related restrictions during operation. For example, a typical 26-foot moving/delivery truck may have a height ranging from 11' to 13'6" or more.
The campaign also reminds drivers to lower truck beds and check the height of loads or equipment they're hauling.
"These types of incidents take away resources from other infrastructure projects, and many times require support from our emergency response partners," said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist. "Drivers must know the height of their vehicle or load and pay close attention to bridge clearance signage. They cannot rely only on navigation systems or apps."
