Submitted byAmerican Truckers United,
In aunanimous 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
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
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.
Source: ZeroHedge News
