In an interview with Transport Topics, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Derek Barrs discussed the agency’s heightened enforcement efforts to promote safe operations by carriers and drivers. The Administrator asserted the agency’s main objectives are to improve safety and make things better for the American truck driver.

He noted that in his one year at FMCSA, the agency has uncovered a number of loopholes that were being exploited by unscrupulous individuals to circumvent its safety regulations. Barrs said the FMCSA is focused on strengthening regulatory oversight and prosecuting those who are willfully violating motor carrier safety regulations.

For example, he explained that FMCSA has identified “chameleon carriers” where one address or post office box is listed as the principal place of business for hundreds of USDOT numbers. FMCSA is working with local law enforcement agencies to identify the individuals responsible for these schemes and to refer them for criminal prosecution in addition to shutting down their motor carrier registrations.

Barrs also said the FMCSA will amend the regulations to eliminate the self-certification process for both Entry-Level Driver Training providers and Electronic Logging Device providers. In each area, the ability to self-certify compliance with regulatory requirements without initial scrutiny by the government has led to significant non-compliance and outright fraud in many instances.

FMCSA has identified and decertified thousands of driver training mills that fail to meet the curriculum and behind-the-wheel requirements for training certification. He emphasized that to drive a commercial motor vehicle, one must be trained to the highest standards of safety, not just in how to drive the truck but in inspection of safety equipment, load securement and related activities.

The agency has begun more stringent vetting of ELD providers seeking placement on the ELD Registry. Of the 500 applicants this year, not one has been granted certification yet, and the FMCSA is sensitive to reincarnated vendors who make multiple applications in order to avoid scrutiny.

With regard to new restrictions on non-domiciled CDLs, Barrs noted this was a safety gap wherein there has been no process to verify the safety and operational history of a driver from a foreign country who applies for a CDL or CLP in the United States. He asserted that a U.S. citizen who applies for a CDL is checked for prior DUIs, speeding tickets and other infractions, but there has been no mechanism for making the same checks for non-domiciled driver applicants. This has now changed under a new FMCSA rule in effect since March 2026, although the rule is being challenged in court.

On English Language Proficiency, the agency recently made non-compliance with this requirement an out-of-service violation. Barrs said it is just common sense that a driver must be able to converse with a roadside inspection officer and read highway signs, including dynamic signs, that could alert the driver to dangers.

Administrator Barrs also recognized that the agency’s rollout of Motus, its new registration platform, has not been seamless. He explained that they are trying to merge seven or eight legacy computer systems into one and have run into implementation problems. But he vowed that FMCSA is committed to improving the efficiency and security of the new system. In the meantime, they have expanded their call center resources to handle industry inquiries and made them available seven days a week.