Lack of FMCSA Enforcement Keeps Chameleon Carriers on Our Roads

In 2011, multiple members of the Megel family were in a deadly crash on U.S. 50 involving a semi-truck. That crash injured Nick Megel’s father and daughter and killed his mother. When the Megels hired Craig, Kelley & Faultless to take their case, it was discovered that the semi that hit them was a chameleon carrier.

Chameleon carriers are trucking companies that choose to avoid safety violation penalties from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) by shutting down and reopening under a different name and/or Department of Transportation number. These carriers typically keep all the same equipment, employees, vehicles and even addresses.

Although the FMCSA has recently begun major crackdowns on non-domiciled drivers in an effort to try and make roads safer, there has been a dramatic decrease in enforcement cases generally, which have reduced by over 80%. This level of enforcement compared to previous years creates serious concerns for everyone on the roads.

Fewer FMCSA Enforcement Cases

As the federal government revokes non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs), WTHR’s 13 Investigates found that there has actually been less enforcement of cases involving violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The FMCSA can open an enforcement case against a trucking company for a variety of reasons, such as indication of a violation during a compliance review, complaint investigation, roadside inspection or other investigation. If a company is found to violate any federal rules, the FMCSA has the power to dole out fines and penalties against them.

FMCSA data showed that over 3,800 fatal crashes in the U.S. in 2025 involved commercial motor vehicles, and 4,200 people died in these crashes. Of those deaths, 100 of them happened in Indiana. However, while fatality numbers are on the rise, enforcement numbers are not. The FMCSA closed around 3,800 enforcement cases in 2024 but only 617 in 2025, resulting in an 84% national decrease. Cases in Indiana, specifically, decreased by 88%. Such a significant plummet in enforcement cases allows for more and more chameleon carriers to go about business as usual without facing consequences for the horrific crashes they often cause, repeatedly closing and reopening without addressing any safety concerns.

When WTHR reporters asked FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs about the lack of enforcement, he stated that some cases did not have “legal sufficiency” and that all types of enforcement cases require the evidence necessary to bring them forward. Although Barrs is aiming for an uptick in enforcement in 2026, data shows that the FMCSA has only closed a few dozen cases each month. In past years, those numbers were in the hundreds.

Meanwhile, deadly crashes will continue to happen as the FMCSA decides which cases are legally sufficient, particularly those caused by chameleon carriers that go unnoticed by federal regulators. Nationally Recognized Truck Accident Attorney David W. Craig told WTHR, “It’s not that hard to check that address. Send an inspector out and look and see if this is the same equipment or not.”

Although some chameleon carriers are run by foreign operators or exploit foreign drivers, it is clear that the FMCSA needs to focus its safety efforts on all kinds of truck safety issues and not just non-domiciled drivers. The Megel family’s case is a prime example that the issue of chameleon carriers goes beyond foreign drivers, as the man who hit their vehicle was a U.S. citizen.

While the Megel’s wreck happened in 2011, the FMCSA has made few efforts since then to combat chameleon carriers specifically, with data from CBS news showing that the federal government approved over 10,000 newly registered trucking companies tied to previously closed companies with severe safety violations.

Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help

Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. As David has said, “We don’t just handle truck accident cases. We specialize in these cases.”

Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.

Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.

David W. Craig is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.