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(Chris Spear, President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations. Photo: ATA)

The ATA creates a new task force to address the problem it denied the existence of

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is moving toward more assertive advocacy on key industry issues like freight fraud and driver quality. This was evident at ATA’s Management Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas, where executives discussed plans for nondomiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs), driver credential fraud, and broader operational challenges.

ATA President and CEO Chris Spear highlighted the association’s evolving role in his keynote. As the article reports, Spear described ATA’s efforts to "build coalitions that deliver results for our members." The conference spotlighted the newly formed Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC), uniting leaders from ATA’s 50 state affiliates to integrate regional input into national policy.

The ATA is taking a break from pushing its “truck driver shortage” narrative to address—in theory, at least—the issues caused by the unregulated expansion of the driver pipeline.

A major topic was reforming nondomiciled CDLs, which allow foreign nationals—mostly from Mexico and Central America—to drive commercially in the U.S. without full citizenship. The article notes vulnerabilities, including fraud in applications enabling unauthorized operations. ATA Vice President of Operations, Safety & Security Ted Scott stated, "We need to make sure that the nondomiciled CDL program is working as intended, which is to provide additional drivers for the cross-border trade."

Plans include pushing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for stricter verification, such as background checks and ties to U.S. carriers, while lobbying Congress to cap permits and enhance security without halting immigration benefits. Driver fraud was another priority, with a rise in "CDL mills" issuing fake licenses for low fees. FMCSA data cited in the article shows over 10,000 revocations in 2024 due to irregularities.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello remarked, "Fraud in the CDL process is a serious issue that undermines the safety of our highways." ATA is advocating for a national database to track certifications and AI tools for detection, plus penalties for fraudulent schools.

The event reflected optimism, with ATA forecasting 3.5% freight volume growth in 2025 from e-commerce and manufacturing recovery. Discussions covered workforce development via apprenticeships and tech like telematics, plus gradual electric vehicle mandates to avoid disruptions.

(Giphy)

Freight Fraud Video of the Week 🤩

In this episode of The Long Haul, Adam sits down with Danielle Spinelli, better known as The Fraud Girl — a veteran broker turned fraud-fighting expert and host of Tell Me Everything. Now with Descartes | MyCarrierPortal, Danielle works on the front lines of vetting carriers, uncovering scams, and helping brokers and shippers stay one step ahead of organized theft rings.

Retail crime and cargo Theft: A Growing Threat to Businesses and Consumers

(Photo: Jim Allen / FreightWaves)

In a December 1, 2025, blog post, Tom Wickham, Vice President and Managing Director of Government Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, warns of surging retail crime and cargo theft plaguing businesses nationwide. These "business-focused crimes" extend beyond headlines, imposing heavy financial and societal burdens on employees, owners, and communities. Wickham argues that while crime fluctuates yearly, long-term trends are alarming: larcenies involving shoplifting have doubled since the 1970s, per the nonprofit Council on Criminal Justice. Innocent parties—customers, workers, and entrepreneurs—face higher consumer prices, store closures, and depleted access to essential goods and services.

Retail crimes, including organized shoplifting rings and "smash-and-grab" raids, persist as a core challenge for America’s retailers. Wickham highlights their widespread ripple effects, eroding community vitality and forcing businesses to absorb escalating security costs amid post-pandemic recovery.

Cargo theft compounds the crisis, with incidents rising 13% in Q2 2025 compared to 2024, following record highs in 2023 and 2024, according to CargoNet data. Thieves increasingly employ sophisticated fraud and deception, targeting supply chains and driving up costs for shippers, retailers, and ultimately consumers. Texas, Illinois, and California account for 53% of incidents, underscoring regional hotspots.

The post spotlights small businesses as particularly vulnerable. Hrag Kalabjian, a U.S. Chamber Small Business Council member and owner of a family-run coffee shop in San Francisco, shares a poignant example: "The costs associated with keeping people from breaking in and destroying our property add up, especially when business is still recovering from the economic downturn of the pandemic." Such stories illustrate how theft disrupts local economies, frustrating owners with "repeat offenders" who evade felony thresholds through calculated, multi-jurisdictional hits.

To combat this, Wickham outlines a three-pronged federal and local strategy. First, enhance coordination via the bipartisan Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act (H.R. 2853/S. 1404), which would create a Homeland Security Investigations center for multi-agency collaboration, now expanded to tackle cargo theft. Locally, chambers like New Mexico’s Organized Retail Crime Association and Ohio’s Crime Task Force exemplify grassroots efforts.

Second, aggregate offenses to counter criminal sophistication: Reform laws, as pushed by the Chamber with prosecutors like San Diego’s Summer Stephan, to treat repeated thefts as a single serious crime, bypassing lenient thresholds.

Third, boost prosecution: Support backlog-reducing legislation and specialized units, like Pennsylvania’s new Deputy Attorney General office for organized retail crime. In just over a year, it launched 65+ investigations, secured 40+ arrests, and recovered nearly $2 million in stolen goods—a model for states.

Wickham concludes that businesses, workers, and consumers bear the brunt, urging policymakers to enact "effective laws and policies" for safer communities. The Chamber’s initiative on organized retail theft offers further resources, emphasizing collective action to safeguard the economy.