What FMCSA Should Fix After the Clearinghouse Loophole and What Carriers Should Watch
By now, most people in the trucking industry have at least heard about the Brandon Blackburn case. What started as a shocking headline quickly became something more serious: a reminder that even a federal compliance system can have weak points if the right controls are not in place. According to the FreightWaves investigation, Blackburn was […]
How to Audit Driver Files After the FMCSA Clearinghouse Loophole
The Brandon Blackburn case has put a lot of carriers in an uncomfortable position. For many, the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse has been treated as a reliable checkpoint in the hiring and compliance process. Run the query, review the status, and move forward. That has been the standard approach. But after the FreightWaves reporting […]
When Compliance Isn’t Enough: What the Brandon Blackburn Case Should Be Teaching Every Carrier
Most carriers operate from the same assumption: if you follow FMCSA requirements, run the right checks, and keep your files in order, you are doing what the law expects. In most cases, that is a reasonable way to think about compliance. It is procedural, it is measurable, and it gives carriers a framework for making […]
What to Do If You’re Facing a Refusal of Audit
As we covered in our last post about this, a refusal of audit is when FMCSA can’t complete a compliance review because the carrier doesn’t cooperate or can’t produce required records. Even when it’s unintentional, it can escalate enforcement quickly. Our previous post explained the “what” and “why.” This article is the “what now:” the […]
Understanding “Refusal of Audit” Under FMCSA Rules
Most carriers do not think about an FMCSA audit until the email or letter shows up. Then it is a scramble: logins, binders, DQ files, maintenance records, the whole mess. One thing that makes FMCSA take a harder look, fast, is when a carrier refuses to cooperate with an audit or compliance review. Whether it […]
Last Call for 2025: Close the Compliance Gaps That Raise Premiums
A clear, year-end recap of 2025 FMCSA shifts across scoring, drivers, tech, and identifiers, with a 30 to 60 day action plan to cut risk, protect scores, and keep insurance costs in check. Why this matters now 2025 brought real movement. FMCSA advanced its Safety Measurement System refresh through a live CSA Prioritization Preview so […]