FMCSA Complaint Portal Renamed Amid Kenworth, Peterbilt, Volvo Recall

FMCSA renames complaint system as recalls affect Kenworth, Peterbilt and Volvo trucks

Federal regulators have renamed the National Consumer Complaint Database, giving the system a more direct identity for commercial motor vehicle drivers, carriers and the general public.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration now refers to the database as the FMCSA Complaint Center. The agency said the system is intended to provide a way to report concerns involving the commercial motor vehicle industry, including safety violations and problems with transportation companies and related service providers.

FMCSA Complaint Center replaces NCCDB

The name change follows the first phase of a modernization effort launched in September 2025. That update streamlined the website’s user interface and was intended to make the database easier to navigate and use.

According to FMCSA, the Complaint Center can be used by the general public, commercial motor vehicle drivers and transportation industry professionals. Complaints may involve truck, bus or moving companies, brokers, auto transporters, medical review officers, electronic logging device providers and other entities operating within the commercial vehicle industry.

FMCSA says complaints are considered along with other information when the agency determines which companies or operations may warrant investigation. The agency also said additional improvements are expected as the modernization effort continues, including added functionality and performance upgrades.

The former database name had drawn criticism from some in the trucking industry. During a Senate subcommittee hearing in early 2025, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh said the system sometimes “seems to be where complaints go to die,” citing a perceived lack of response to complaints filed by OOIDA members. Pugh also told lawmakers that the previous name did not clearly connect the system to trucking or commercial vehicle safety.

A 2023 Government Accountability Office review also identified several ways the former NCCDB did not meet the needs of motor carriers. The new name is intended to make the system’s purpose more apparent, although the agency’s broader modernization work remains ongoing.

Kensworth and Peterbilt bunk restraints recalled

Paccar is recalling approximately 310 trucks because sleeper-bunk restraint webbing may not have been secured correctly during manufacturing. The defect could prevent the restraint from adequately holding an occupant in place during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The recall covers certain 2027 model-year:

• Peterbilt 567 trucks
• Peterbilt 579 trucks
• Peterbilt 589 trucks
• Kenworth T680 trucks
• Kenworth T880 trucks
• Kenworth W900 trucks
• Kenworth W990 trucks

Dealers will inspect the bunk restraints and replace them when necessary at no cost to owners. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Dec. 13. The recall is identified by Paccar as 26PACH and by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as 26V-674.

Small Volvo VNL recall involves cab bolts

Volvo Trucks North America is recalling approximately five model-year 2025 and 2026 VNL trucks because structural bolts in the cab may be loose or missing.

If the bolts are not properly installed, the cab may not provide the intended level of protection during a crash. Dealers will inspect the affected trucks and install or tighten the bolts as needed, free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Dec. 14. Volvo’s recall number is RVXX2612, while NHTSA lists the recall as 26V-677.

DTL plans to add 75 autonomous trucks

Fresno, California-based DTL Transport has reached an agreement with Kodiak AI to deploy 75 trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver autonomous driving system. The agreement is the first publicly announced definitive agreement for an interstate trucking company to operate driverless trucks within its own fleet under Kodiak’s “Driver-as-a-Service” model.

Under that model, DTL will pay Kodiak on a per-mile basis for use of the autonomous driving system. DTL operates cross-country team runs and hauls produce for several large grocery companies.

The company previously worked with Kodiak on a pilot in California, where autonomous trucks hauled perishable goods for 225 miles on portions of Interstate 5 and California 99 between Fresno and Los Angeles. The new agreement calls for operations on Interstate 10 between Dallas and El Paso, Texas, and Interstate 20 between Dallas and Atlanta. Kodiak said additional lanes may be added over time.

Drivers and owner-operators ranked autonomous trucks among the top 10 concerns for the trucking industry in the latest American Transportation Research Institute survey. The issue did not appear among the top 10 concerns identified by fleet respondents.

PAM seeks exemption for CLP holders

PAM Transport has asked FMCSA for an exemption that would allow a commercial learner’s permit holder who has passed the CDL skills test to drive without another CDL holder seated in the front passenger seat while traveling to the driver’s home state to obtain the physical CDL credential.

Under PAM’s proposal, a CDL holder would remain in the truck while the CLP holder drives, but would not necessarily have to occupy the passenger seat. The carrier said the exemption would allow newly qualified drivers to begin employment sooner, maintain their driving skills and take a revenue-generating trip home to complete the licensing process.

PAM estimates that between 500 and 700 CLP holders could operate under the exemption each year. Similar exemptions have previously been granted to carriers including C.R. England and Covenant.

FMCSA is accepting public comments on PAM Transport’s request through Nov. 27.