EXCLUSIVE: Notorious Trucking Industry Practice Under Spotlight As Deadly Crashes Pile Up

Washington, D.C., is taking a closer look at a longtime trucking industry gimmick as illegal migrant-related highway crashes continue killing Americans.

Indiana GOP Sen. Jim Banks is demanding the Department of Transportation (DOT) investigate the prevalence of chameleon carrier networks, trucking companies that repeatedly reopen under new identities after being shut down across his state, according to a letter obtained by the 🏢Daily Caller News Foundation. Calls for an investigation follow another deadly big rig accident, again involving an illegal migrant driver.

“Whatever is going on with Indiana’s trucking clusters, it is killing Hoosiers,” Banks said in a Monday letter to Derek Barrs, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA).

“I cannot stand by and watch as more of my constituents are put in harm’s way by drivers who should never have received a license in the first place,” Banks continued. “I urge you to use every tool at FMCSA’s disposal to investigate potential chameleon carriers and put violators out of service permanently.”

As the Trump administration continues cracking down on illegal migrants operating within the trucking industry, the issue of chameleon carriers has increasingly been brought to the forefront.

The term “chameleon carrier” typically applies to any trucking company that rotates through DOT registration numbers, names or ownership structure in order to avoid enforcement actions. These companies, after being shut down by regulators, will simply reopen under a new name and registration number, all while using the same trucks and staff.