On Sept. 4, 2026, Reps. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) and Shomari Figures (D-Ala.), co-chairs of the Congressional Trucking Caucus, introduced the Registration Enforcement for Vehicle Operations of Known Evaders Act, the REVOKE Act (H.R. 10237).
It targets chameleon carriers: trucking companies that shut down after being cited or placed out of service and reopen under a new name and USDOT number, leaving their safety history behind.
This is a news summary, not legal advice. The bill has been introduced, not passed.
What the bill does
It's short, and it works through the USDOT number:
- An active USDOT number is required to operate. The bill states it plainly in law.
- No number until the requirements are met. The Secretary may issue an active USDOT number only after determining that every registration requirement has been satisfied.
- Immediate deactivation. The Secretary gets authority to immediately deactivate the USDOT number of a registrant that doesn't have valid registration or fails to make required periodic updates.
That last point is the one legitimate carriers should notice. The main periodic update is the MCS-150 biennial update, and FMCSA has currently paused deactivations for missed updates while registration moves to Motus. The bill points the opposite way, toward faster and firmer enforcement once the transition is done.
Why now
Chameleon carriers have been a known problem for years. Reporting cited by the bill's sponsors describes them as roughly four times more likely to be involved in severe crashes. They also undercut compliant fleets on price, because they don't carry the costs of the safety record they walked away from.
The REVOKE Act is the third chameleon-carrier bill this year, after a House bill from Rep. Harriet Hageman in February and a Senate bill from Sens. Todd Young and Andy Kim in July. It also comes on top of a broader federal push on registration and credential fraud. That push includes the CDL school removals and the non-domiciled CDL rule.
Who supports it
The American Trucking Associations backs the bill. Its senior vice president of legislative affairs, Alex Rosen, said chameleon carriers "evade federal oversight by cycling through new registrations."
Support from established carriers is predictable. They are the ones competing with operators who don't carry a safety history.
What it means for you
- For compliant carriers, not much changes in practice. Keep your registration current and your filings on time and the bill doesn't touch you.
- Missed updates would carry more risk. If the bill becomes law, a missed biennial update could lead to faster deactivation than it has historically.
- Vetting partners matters more. If you broker loads, lease on to carriers or subcontract, a carrier with a very new USDOT number and a familiar address, phone or officer list deserves a closer look.
What happens next
The bill goes to committee. Chameleon-carrier provisions are also candidates to ride on the larger highway reauthorization bill, which Congress now has until Dec. 11 to replace or extend again.
Quick answers
What is a chameleon carrier? A trucking company that shuts down after enforcement action and reopens under a new name and USDOT number to escape its safety record.
What does the REVOKE Act do? It requires an active USDOT number to operate, bars issuing one until all registration requirements are met, and lets the Secretary immediately deactivate numbers for invalid registration or missed updates.
Is it law? No. It was introduced on Sept. 4, 2026, and has been referred to committee.
Sources
- Rep. Figures: Figures, Taylor introduce REVOKE Act to crack down on chameleon carriers
- Land Line: Another bill sets sights on chameleon carriers
- Transport Topics: U.S. House legislation targets chameleon carriers
- FleetOwner: REVOKE Act would strengthen USDOT registration rules for chameleon carriers
