5,000 net new trucking authorities were issued in 2026, but real capacity remains tight due to enforcement and legal risks, not fleet growth.
The brief
FMCSA blacklisted 56 ELD models in 2026, preventing capacity expansion equivalent to 10 trucks acting as 15 by eliminating illegal HOS extensions. Brokers are also avoiding new carriers without safety ratings due to the Montgomery v. Caribe Transport ruling on negligent hiring, limiting the deployable capacity of new MC numbers. This combination means gross authority gains do not translate into available freight capacity for shippers or brokers.
Takeaway
Focus on established carriers with clear compliance records and robust safety profiles when tendering freight this week, as the risk of leveraging new, unvetted authorities is heightened by recent legal precedents and FMCSA crackdowns.
Read the original at Freight Caviar
https://freightcaviar.com/stories/no-place-for-newbies