Recent identity verification changes by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are having a major impact on the number of newly minted operating authorities, according to research from CarrierOK. Beginning in early 2025, the FMCSA rolled out a new identity verification process that starts with applicants being redirected to Idemia, a third-party identity verification vendor. The next steps include the collection of personal information including biometric data to verify a carrier’s identity. After completion, applicants are able to complete the next step, which is being added to the Unified Registration System, the combined database that the FMCSA uses to house the data for carriers, freight forwarders and brokers.
