The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is rolling out major updates to its registration system in 2025 to help combat fraud and streamline the registration process for motor carriers. A key part of this overhaul is a new identity verification system, which is already live for new applicants and will soon apply to all registrants.
Why the Change?
FMCSA’s registration director Kenneth Riddle said fraud has become widespread in the trucking industry, impacting everything from brokers to insurance to carriers. The current systems are outdated and fragmented, requiring users to navigate multiple platforms that don’t communicate well.
To fix this, FMCSA is building a new platform called Motus (formerly known as the FMCSA Registration System or FRS), which will centralize all registration and compliance tasks into one user-friendly platform.
How Identity Verification Works
Since April 2025, all new applicants must verify their identity before they can receive a USDOT Number. The process is powered by IDEMIA, the same tech used at TSA checkpoints.
Here’s how it works:
- At the end of the registration process, users scan a QR code that directs them to IDEMIA’s platform.
- They are prompted to scan a government-issued ID (such as a driver’s license or passport).
- The system then uses facial recognition to confirm the ID matches the person applying.
The process works on any smartphone with a camera and internet connection. FMCSA reports that the system is already proving effective. In the first 16 days of use, 3,392 out of 3,476 users passed the verification. However, only 34% of all sessions passed, suggesting that many failed attempts were likely bots or fraudulent applications.
What’s Next?
FMCSA plans to expand the identity check to all registrants, not just new ones. This means that existing carriers will soon need to verify their identities too—likely in 2025 when the new Motus system officially launches.
Once verified, carriers won’t need to repeat the process unless specifically requested. The verification will link to their login.gov account for easy future access.
The Bigger Picture: Motus Platform
Today, trucking businesses must use multiple FMCSA systems—like MCMIS, URS, and the Portal—to manage registration, insurance, and compliance. This causes confusion and data mismatches.
With Motus, FMCSA aims to consolidate everything into one platform. It will simplify registration, reduce fraud, and make compliance more manageable for fleets and brokers alike.
FMCSA hasn’t set an exact launch date, but development is in progress, and rollout is expected to begin later in 2025. The shift toward a single, secure, and user-friendly system marks a significant step forward in modernizing trucking registration and protecting the industry from fraud.
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