Key Highlights
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s legacy registration system will shut down on May 14, 2024.
- Motus, the new registration system, will launch shortly after.
- Entities need to take specific actions by May 14 to avoid manual verification processes in the future.
- Federal officials warn of potential long lines for those who don’t update their information ahead of time.
The Big Switch: FMCSA’s New Registration System, Motus
At 8 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, May 14, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will turn off its legacy registration system. This means that motor carriers and other registered entities have a looming deadline to update their information before the transition to the new Motus system.
Ken Riddle, FMCSA’s director for the Office of Registration, emphasized the importance of this transition: “My concern is those who don’t get the word or don’t update their account, they are going to have to call us. They’re going to have to manually verify their identity, verify their business, get documentation and manually link them to the Motus account.”
What You Need to Do
You might think this is new, but… you need to ensure your FMCSA Portal account is active. Log in at https://portal.fmcsa.dot.gov. If you don’t have an account, create one now and use your USDOT PIN to access your information.
Reach out if your account is disabled.
FMCSA Portal accounts are disabled after 90 days and archived after 12 months of inactivity. Reach out to the FMCSA Contact Center to unlock your account.
Verify Your Company Information
In the Portal, ensure that your company information, operation classification, contact information and individuals authorized to access your record are all correct. Make necessary updates if needed. If applicable, submit an online Biennial Update (MCS-150) in the portal’s “Registration” tab.
Why Motus?
Motus promises to be more user-friendly and helps prevent fraud. Riddle said, “Motus will not only handle the new registration but the full lifecycle of registered entities like a motor carrier. Whether you need to do … a biennial update, a business change or add authority … whatever you need to do, you will be able to do it through Motus online.”
When FMCSA set out to create a new registration system, the initial goal was to build a modern, one-stop shop. However, as the agency heard industry stakeholders, steps were needed to curb the influx of fraud.
The Future
Federal officials are confident that more people who can do this ahead of time will make the transition smoother. Riddle said, “The more people who can do this ahead of time, the smoother the transition will go.” As you can imagine, I think that line is going to be quite long, and I don’t want anyone to wait in that line.
