Keeping auto transport safe and compliant, all while fighting to prevent fraud, is a team effort. Whether it’s tackling issues like double brokering, fake paperwork, or organized theft, it takes collaboration between carriers, shippers, law enforcement, and tech partners to protect everyone involved.
At Super Dispatch, we are committed to creating a safer, more reliable platform for carriers, shippers, and brokers alike. To enhance our understanding and strengthen our processes around safety, our Fraud Investigation and Compliance team recently had the privilege of hosting officers from Kansas and Colorado Highway Patrol’s commercial vehicle operations, as well as representatives from the Olathe Police Department. Over a two-hour meeting, we discussed key challenges and emerging patterns in fraud and transport safety.
Here’s what we learned and how it can impact your operations:
Key Takeaways from Our Conversation with Highway Patrol Officers
We met with Nicholas Wright (Kansas Highway Patrol), Joshua Alsop (Colorado Highway Patrol), and Matt Misemer (Olathe, KS, Police Department) at the Super Dispatch headquarters. Each of these officers specializes in commercial vehicle safety, inspections, and fraud prevention.
As inspections play a large role in their highways safety operations, one of the many fascinating insights they shared is that they encounter Super Dispatch Bills of Lading (BOLs) at least 10 times per day on the road. Super Dispatch BOL usage was reported at a 3-to-1 ratio. But beyond BOLs, the officers shed light on critical fraud trends and safety challenges impacting our industry.
Fraudulent Practices in the Transport Industry
Fraud remains one of the most significant challenges in the industry, with bad actors searching out vulnerabilities to manipulate documentation, avoid accountability, and compromise safety. Key insights include:
- Manipulation of BOLs: Carriers removing identifying information to bypass inspections.
- Fake Identities: Companies operating under fake names or altered DOT numbers.
- Real-Time Documentation Fraud: Dispatchers generating fraudulent BOLs in real time during inspections to mislead officers.
- Double Brokering: The blurred lines between driver leasing, sub-brokering, and the increasingly prevalent issue of double brokering.
It was also revealed that over 500 new DOT numbers are issued daily nationwide, making it easier for bad actors to exploit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) system. This sheer scale highlights the importance of robust verification systems and processes.
The FMCSA’s shift to Login.gov—a single verified login system akin to ID.me—promises to improve identity verification in the industry. Measures such as triggering out-of-service (OOS) status for undeliverable mail are also being implemented to combat exploitation.
Combatting Double Brokering
Double brokering is a growing concern impacting trust and operations in the transport industry. At Super Dispatch, our verification processes and proprietary scoring model are designed to mitigate these risks. 
Here’s how we tackle this issue:
- Scoring Model: Every carrier is scored based on factors like documentation completion, operational safety, and customer feedback. New carriers begin with the lowest score but can earn higher standings with proper paperwork and positive reviews.
- Zero Tolerance for Fraud: Verified fraud, results in immediate removal from our platform.
- Monitoring BOLs: Our support team proactively monitors for signs of manipulation—this includes missing vehicle diagrams or suspicious URLs.
These measures were shared with the officers to explore how collaboration can help reduce double brokering and hold violators accountable.
Rising Vehicle Theft Patterns
A concerning increase in organized vehicle theft has been detected, particularly during transport. Emerging trends include moving stolen vehicles toward border regions, such as Mexico, or to ports like Miami, where they are further trafficked.
- Sophisticated Operations: Criminal enterprises use deceptive documentation and even invest in insurance to make their actions and operations appear more legitimate.
- Networks in Place: Organized systems are in effect to streamline theft, posing a significant risk to carriers, especially those operating in vulnerable areas.
These findings underscore the need for transport companies to stay vigilant and ensure robust verification and security practices.
Challenges in Enforcement and Inspections
The officers highlighted how carriers attempt to evade enforcement through various tactics:
- Drivers contacting dispatchers for real-time log manipulation during stops.
- Switching company identification to mislead inspections.
- Operating at night or on weekends to avoid scrutiny and using secondary roads to bypass inspection points.
These challenges put added pressure on law enforcement and underscore the need for robust partnerships between the industry and regulatory bodies. Super Dispatch has initiated collaboration by establishing a priority response system for law enforcement inquiries and creating a direct communication line via [email protected].
Super Dispatch Platform Security Improvements
The insights gained from our meeting reaffirmed the importance of strengthening our platform. With a new CEO at the helm dedicated to innovation and security, we are implementing stricter protocols to elevate safety and reliability. Key improvements include:
- Enhanced Verification Processes: Mandatory cargo insurance verification and multi-step approval workflows for all carriers.
- BOL Integrity Checks: Improved systems to identify missing or manipulated BOL elements.
- Third-Party Verification Partnerships: Collaborating with external partners to establish additional layers of security.
Building a Safer, Trustworthy Industry
Auto transport safety and fraud prevention are shared responsibilities. By fostering collaboration between individual processes, law enforcement and technology providers, we can address challenges like double brokering, documentation fraud, and organized theft more effectively.
At Super Dispatch, these insights fuel our mission to build a trusted, transparent, and secure platform—helping carriers and shippers operate with peace of mind. We’re committed to driving innovation that keeps the industry moving forward.
If you’re an auto transport professional looking for a reliable platform free of fraudulent practices, schedule a demo or start your trial today. Together, we can raise the bar for safety and integrity in auto transport.
