Stop Penalizing Good Owner-Operators and Small Carriers for Something They Can’t Control!
Across the industry, I’m seeing an alarming trend: brokers and shippers disqualifying motor carriers simply because they haven’t been subject to a roadside inspection.
This practice is not only unfair—it’s actively hurting good, honest small carriers who are playing by the rules.
Let’s set the record straight.
What Does FMCSA Say About Roadside Inspections?
FMCSA roadside inspections are governed by 49 CFR Part 396 and conducted under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP).
These inspections are random and exist for one reason: to assess a carrier’s safety compliance—not to determine if they are fraudulent.
There is NO regulation that states a carrier must have a roadside inspection to be considered legitimate.
Inspections are conducted at the discretion of law enforcement based on a variety of factors, including random selection, observed violations, or inspection priorities at weigh stations.
Why Are We Disqualifying Carriers for This?
By refusing to work with a carrier just because they haven’t been inspected, we are:
? Punishing New & Small Carriers – New entrants and smaller operators may not have enough miles to increase their odds of an inspection. That doesn’t mean they are unsafe or fraudulent.
? Ignoring the Purpose of Inspections – Roadside inspections are designed to check for mechanical and operational safety, not to validate a carrier’s business legitimacy. Using them as a fraud detection tool is a complete misinterpretation of their intent.
? Forcing Carriers into Unnecessary Risk – Some carriers, desperate to get an inspection on record, may feel pressured to run certain routes or put themselves in unnecessary situations just to get pulled in. That’s not how safety should work.
What Should We Be Doing Instead?
Fraud prevention matters, but using the lack of a roadside inspection as a disqualifier is a lazy and harmful approach. Instead, we should be verifying:
? FMCSA Registration & Operating Authority
? Insurance Compliance
? Identity Validation & Fraud Prevention Measures
? Carrier History & Performance Metrics
It’s time to stop using random inspections as a false indicator of legitimacy.
Good carriers deserve fair opportunities, and it’s up to all of us to ensure our vetting processes are based on facts, not flawed assumptions.
We invite you to use a platform that verifies the identity and compliance of motor carriers, brokers, and Freight forwarders.
We do not use subjective, hypothetical, or predictive analytics or algorithms as a basis of validation
We stick with the facts.
Is the FMCSA a regulated entity in compliance with state and federal law?
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