Submitted by American Truckers United,

In a unanimous landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA) does not protect freight brokers from state-law negligence claims when they carelessly hire unsafe motor carriers.

Landmark win for trucking safety this morning.

The Supreme Court rules UNANIMOUSLY against the broker that helped put the illegal alien who hit Dalilah Coleman on the road.

As a result of this decision, trucking brokers can be liable for negligently giving loads to illegal… https://t.co/0pYntFxiDx

— Senator Jim Banks (@SenatorBanks) May 14, 2026

The case, Shawn Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, et al., marks a seismic shift in the trucking industry. For the first time in years, brokers can be held accountable when their profit-driven shortcuts lead to deadly crashes. This is a massive victory for crash victims and the small- to midsize carriers who actually move America’s freight.

American Truckers United (ATU) proudly filed an amicus curiae brief supporting the petitioner, exposing how blanket broker immunity had fueled a dangerous race to the bottom.

“It is implausible that Congress sought to immunize brokers from tort liability when their negligence leads to fatal or injurious motor vehicle crashes,” our brief stated. “Any time the government provides immunity from suit, it picks economic winners and losers… There is no reason to believe Congress chose negligent brokers to be the winners.”

🚨 The Supreme Court will soon rule in a blockbuster case that could impact liability for crashes involving unvetted carriers and truck drivers: Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II and C.H. Robinson. The trucking industry—and especially brokers—is watching very closely.

Freight… pic.twitter.com/csbNMFiRVu

— American Truckers United (@atutruckers) March 10, 2026

The Broken System That Needed Fixing

For too long, freight brokers have operated with near-total immunity while sitting in the middle of every transaction, pocketing the spread between what shippers pay and what they actually pay carriers.  

Their incentive was brutally simple: hire the absolute cheapest truck possible — safety, maintenance, and regulatory compliance be damned.

Resulting in brokerage’s share of the freight market exploding from roughly 6% twenty-five years ago to 29% today. Much of that growth came by flooding the market with cut-rate, often illicit capacity — including non-domiciled foreign drivers operating under lower standards that undercut responsible American operators.

Legacy American carriers shuttered at historic rates. Small fleets filed bankruptcy in droves. Mega-brokers and a handful of giant carriers captured massive new market share. The human cost was measured in wrecked trucks, ruined families, and lives lost on our highways.

A recent viral crash in California involving an illegal alien truck driver from India brought the issue back into sharp focus — and raised the obvious question: Which broker put that truck on the road?

🚨New Fatal Truck Crash in California! 2 people killed! Truck Driver “Manvir Singh” facing several charges including vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, resisting police, and hit and run.

More details to follow. pic.twitter.com/Q6hZOV8AwZ

— American Truckers United (@atutruckers) May 20, 2026

And more. 

At least four Indian illegal alien truck drivers with CDLs have been arrested for allegedly causing deadly crashes that have killed multiple innocent people in different parts of the country.

Manvir Singh (CA)
Jashanpreet Singh (CA)
Harjinder Singh (FL)
Sukhdeep Singh (IN) pic.twitter.com/2ofd7QYSfp

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 21, 2026

The Turning Point

Back in December, momentum was already building toward meaningful reform. The Supreme Court decision has now cemented the recovery.

2026 will be “The Official Comeback Year of the American Truck Driver”!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to America’s truck drivers and their families!

God is using this Administration to answer our prayers.

What started as a grassroots fight in Arkansas has become a… pic.twitter.com/qFyA5KOA9p

— American Truckers United (@atutruckers) December 26, 2025

Spot truckload rates just hit an all-time record of $3.69 per mile. For the first time since 2022, the American trucker ecosystem is returning to profitability. The playing field is finally leveling.

Related:

Flatbed Truck Rates Hit New Highs As These Drivers Fuel Boom

Videos circulating over the weekend showed foreign drivers suddenly struggling to secure loads — an encouraging early signal that the era of unchecked undercutting may be ending.

It took less than 24 hours for brokers to tighten the belt after the Supreme Court ruled that brokers could be held liable for carrier accidents WOW!

#Truckers #trucking #truckinglife @topfans pic.twitter.com/MEnvzcKkar

— GRANDPA’s FREE ADVICE (@GOP_is_Gutless) May 16, 2026

What Comes Next

The Supreme Court has restored balance to this critical issue. Congress must now complete the work by promptly passing Dalilah’s Law. This legislation would require the revocation of commercial driver’s licenses held by illegal aliens and ensure that such licenses can never be reissued.

American Truckers United will continue fighting for safer roads, fairer competition, and real relief for asset-based carriers, hardworking American truck drivers, and the families of crash victims.

The Great American Trucker Revival is underway.