FMCSA’s Inactive Errors Threaten Small Trucking Companies’ Survival
FMCSA offers no immediate solution as Motus glitch leaves small carriers marked inactive
A transition to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new Motus registration system has left some compliant trucking companies showing as inactive, creating problems for drivers and small fleets that depend on accurate federal records to secure loads and operate on the road.
For Savoy Transportation, a small carrier based in Houston, Texas, the issue has resulted in repeated rejections from brokers despite the company’s claim that its insurance and other compliance paperwork are current.
Truck driver Michael Savoy and company accountant Lisa Hall said they did not realize the carrier’s status had changed until brokers began telling them they could not offer the company loads because its federal record showed an inactive DOT number.
“I only heard about it because brokers were saying they couldn’t give us loads because we weren’t active, and I’m like, what’s MOTUS,” Hall told KHOU 11.
Hall said she has contacted FMCSA more than 20 times since the problem began. According to Hall, the agency acknowledged that the designation was caused by a computer glitch connected to the transition to Motus and described it as a known issue under review.
“[FMCSA] just [said] that it was a computer glitch. It’s a known issue and that they’re working on it,” Hall said.
As of the report’s publication, however, Savoy Transportation had not received a resolution that restored its ability to consistently pass broker and carrier-verification checks. Hall said the company had lost an estimated 15 to 20 loads over more than three weeks.
“That’s my biggest fear, that we’re going to have to sell the truck and close out the business,” Hall said.
Savoy said the interruption has created a serious financial strain. “It hurts a lot not to be in my truck. It hurts a lot not to be able to work,” he said. “Financially got me in a big hole. Hoping every morning that it comes through. Just a push of a button and I’m back in.”
Conflicting records during the Motus transition
FMCSA moved carrier registration activity from its long-standing systems to Motus in mid-May 2026. The new platform is intended to modernize registration and help combat fraud through tools including biometrics and data analytics designed to verify the identities of applicants.
The rollout has also produced conflicting information across federal data surfaces and third-party platforms. In some cases, one federal record may show a carrier as active while another system, load board or vetting service displays the carrier as inactive or shows that insurance information is unavailable.
That inconsistency can have immediate consequences for drivers and small carriers. Brokers often rely on automated verification systems before assigning a load, and a single inactive marker can prevent a carrier from being considered even when its authority and insurance remain in order.
FMCSA has temporarily suspended USDOT inactivations while it works to stabilize the system. During the transition, a single “inactive” or “no insurance on file” result is not necessarily proof that a carrier has lost its authority or coverage.
Carriers and brokers encountering conflicting information have been advised to check another federal data source, including the SAFER system, and to confirm insurance directly with the issuing insurance agent when necessary. Neither record is automatically conclusive while the migration remains underway.
The system problems have also affected access to safety information. One trucker reported that CSA scores and inspection points could not be viewed reliably and that law enforcement contacts experienced similar difficulties. The driver said the concept behind Motus may be useful, but that the execution and lack of support have made the transition difficult for motor carriers trying to monitor their compliance records.
Roadside impact for River Oaks Couriers
River Oaks Couriers, a Texas-based carrier, encountered a more immediate roadside consequence during a late-August trip through an Oklahoma weigh station. State inspectors told the company that its federal operating authority appeared inactive, bringing the trip to an abrupt halt.
The incident illustrated how a recordkeeping problem can move beyond broker systems and affect a truck during an inspection. For a small carrier, a delayed load, rejected booking or roadside stop can quickly affect revenue, driver schedules and the ability to keep equipment operating.
Editor’s note: On the morning of Sept. 11, 2026, FMCSA reactivated River Oaks Couriers in Motus, less than 24 hours after the story was published on Sept. 10. FMCSA told CCJ that the agency had forwarded the inquiry to the appropriate team for review.
The River Oaks update provides a resolution for that carrier, but it does not address the broader concerns raised by Savoy Transportation and other small companies reporting inconsistent federal status information.
Small carriers face the greatest exposure
Large fleets may have compliance departments and administrative staff dedicated to resolving registration problems. Smaller carriers often rely on one owner, a driver or a part-time office employee to manage insurance filings, authority records, broker relationships and daily operations.
When a carrier is incorrectly marked inactive, the business may have limited ability to explain the problem to every broker or correct the information across multiple systems. Lost loads can continue even when the underlying federal record is later corrected, particularly if a third-party platform has not yet refreshed its data.
For now, carriers affected by a Motus-related discrepancy should compare information across federal sources and verify insurance status with their insurance provider rather than relying on a single third-party display. The continuing disagreement among data systems means that an inactive marker may reflect a system-transition error rather than an intentional suspension or lapse in compliance.
