FMCSA Signals New Round of SMS Proposals: Where the CSA Overhaul Stands Today
FMCSA Chief Safety Officer Steve Dowling said on October 28, 2026 that SMS proposals are coming for industry comment. As of today, carriers are still scored under the existing seven-BASIC SMS methodology. The enhanced system FMCSA approved in November 2024 has not launched.
Brandon Wiseman
Freight Broker Liability After Montgomery v. Caribe: A Guide to Carrier Selection
The Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II ended federal preemption of state negligent-selection claims against freight brokers. This guide explains what changed, where broker exposure comes from, how to read carrier safety data, and why documentation is now a front-line defense.
Brandon Wiseman
DataQs Updates & Best Practices: What Every Carrier Needs to Know After FMCSA's Nationwide Rollout
FMCSA has finalized a sweeping DataQs overhaul now live in all 50 states — including a mandatory three-stage review process, strict timelines, and new independence requirements. Here's what changed and what it means for your fleet's appeal strategy.
Brandon Wiseman
Trucksafe Launches New Online Course: Carrier Safety & Compliance for Brokers and Shippers
Trucksafe Academy has launched a new self-paced online course — Carrier Safety & Compliance for Brokers and Shippers — giving freight brokers, shippers, and 3PLs the FMCSA data fluency they need to vet and document carrier selections defensibly in the post-Montgomery legal landscape.
Brandon Wiseman
What SCOTUS’s Montgomery Decision Means for Carriers
The Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC means freight brokers can now be sued for negligent hiring under state law — and your CSA BASIC scores and safety rating are the evidence. Here is what every motor carrier needs to know and do now.
Brandon Wiseman
FMCSA Finalizes DataQs System Overhaul with State-Level Appeals Process
FMCSA finalizes comprehensive DataQs system overhaul requiring states to implement three-stage independent review process tied to federal highway funding, addressing industry concerns about biased appeals.
Brandon Wiseman
Compliance Theater: When Documentation Replaces Judgment
Many fleets are proud of their documentation. They document driver qualification. They document training. They document inspections, audits, incidents, and corrective actions. They keep complete driver files, run required reports, and maintain records they can be produced quickly when requested. Internally, that documentation often becomes a source of confidence. The thinking goes, if something goes wrong, the paperwork will show we did what we were supposed to do.That belief is understandable.
Brandon Wiseman
Compliance Theater and the Illusion of Protection
In trucking litigation, safety programs often become evidence. This article explores “compliance theater,” where check-the-box compliance creates records but fails to control risk.
Brandon Wiseman
Top 10 Regulatory Developments Fleets Should Understand Heading Into 2026
If 2024 hinted at regulatory turbulence, 2025 made it impossible to ignore. Over the past year, FMCSA and USDOT unleashed the most aggressive series of compliance initiatives in more than a decade—targeting language proficiency, non-domiciled CDL issuance, electronic logging devices, medical certification, training quality, and core data systems. These moves were not isolated events; collectively, they signaled a larger shift toward enforcement-first policymaking and heightened scrutiny on found
Brandon WisemanNever Miss an Update
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