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Broker Carrier Vetting Standards Shift Into Higher Gear Post-Montgomery

The freight brokerage industry is establishing measurable standards for carrier selection following the Supreme Court's Montgomery decision, reshaping liability expectations across the sector. Industry inquiries from brokers, shippers, insurers and legal professionals signal fundamental changes in what constitutes reasonable vetting practices. Sophisticated brokers now deploy onboarding teams, continuous monitoring platforms, insurance verification tools and inspection analysis systems. These capabilities have scaled dramatically over the past decade. However, a small segment of the market still operates under outdated frameworks. They rely solely on FMCSA authority and insurance verification to move loads. This approach is indefensible in negligent selection litigation. FMCSA operating authority represents only interstate commerce authorization, not a safety endorsement. It does not assess inspection history, safety management controls or operational profiles. As publicly available DOT safety data expands, courts increasingly expect brokers to conduct comprehensive due diligence beyond baseline compliance checks.