Motus issue log: what has gone wrong, and what to do

The log at a glance

14 problems confirmed as of October 18, 2026. Each links to its full entry below.

The entries

1. 1. Motus will not let me claim my USDOT number

   First reported May 20, 2026 · Fix announced, still reported

   What you see

   You sign in to Motus with Login.gov but cannot link or claim your existing USDOT number, most often because the Login.gov email does not match the company official on the record. Until the number is claimed, nothing on the registration can be updated.

   Confirmed by

   • FMCSA, “Move into Motus”, last updated May 18, 2026. FMCSA tells carriers to claim with the Login.gov email the company official used.
   • Land Line, “FMCSA launches Motus; carriers run into early snags”, May 20, 2026. OOIDA members unable to claim their USDOT numbers at launch; FMCSA told OOIDA the same day the claim problem had been resolved.
   • FreightWaves, “FMCSA responds 2X to ongoing problems with Motus rollout”, June 4, 2026. Reports FMCSA's memo on the rollout; a consultant describes Motus failing to recognize the official's email.
   • Overdrive, “FMCSA's Motus mess improving, little by little? Weigh in”, October 13, 2026. Readers still unable to get Motus to associate their USDOT and MC numbers with their email in October.

   Workaround

   Sign in with the same Login.gov email as the company official on the registration (FMCSA, Move into Motus). Do not open a second account to get around it (FreightWaves, May 30). If "Link a USDOT Number" stays greyed out, FMCSA asks for one support ticket with the USDOT number, the company official's name and Login.gov email, and proof of ownership such as an IRS letter or articles of incorporation (FMCSA, Registration Alerts).

   Status

   FMCSA said on May 20 that claiming was fixed (Land Line). Claim failures were still being reported on October 13, 2026 (Overdrive).

   From a carrier we work with

   September to October 2026: Motus did not recognize the owner of a carrier we work with as its company official, so the USDOT number stayed greyed out and could not be linked. A call to FMCSA, followed by more than a week of waiting for a confirmation email, did not unlock it. What did: making sure the owner's Login.gov account used the same email address FMCSA had on file for the company official, then choosing "Link an Existing USDOT Number" in Motus. The owner was in and had filed the update in early October 2026. This matches FMCSA's own instruction in Move into Motus.

2. 2. Motus set me up as a service provider, not a carrier

   First reported July 15, 2026 · FMCSA workaround published

   What you see

   Your email was registered under the Transportation Service Provider (TSP) role, so Motus never offers you the option to claim your own USDOT number.

   Confirmed by

   • FMCSA, “Registration Alerts”, last updated October 12, 2026. FMCSA's alert "Inability to Claim USDOT Record as TSP Supporting Company", with step-by-step instructions.
   • Land Line, “Motus problems persist; FMCSA gives guidance”, July 15, 2026. Reports FMCSA's guidance as Motus problems continue for carriers.

   Workaround

   FMCSA's steps: sign in at motus.dot.gov, open the TSP account page, click the gear icon, choose "Close Account" and confirm. A prompt to claim the USDOT number should then appear. If "Link a USDOT Number" is still greyed out, send FMCSA a ticket with the USDOT number, the company official's name and Login.gov email, and proof of company ownership.

   Status

   The alert is still posted on FMCSA's Registration Alerts page (last updated October 12, 2026). No system fix announced.

3. 3. The identity check (ID and face scan) keeps failing

   First reported May 20, 2026 · Fix announced, still reported

   What you see

   You cannot get through the identity verification Motus requires before any account access: a government ID scan and a selfie, run for FMCSA by its vendor IDEMIA.

   Confirmed by

   • Land Line, “FMCSA launches Motus; carriers run into early snags”, May 20, 2026. OOIDA members struggling to complete ID verification in the first days.
   • FreightWaves, “FMCSA responds 2X to ongoing problems with Motus rollout”, June 4, 2026. FMCSA's memo says it is correcting the identity verification and first-time login processes.
   • FMCSA, “Registration Modernization FAQs”, no update date shown. FMCSA says some users may be referred to a physical location to complete verification.
   • FleetOwner, “Heller: Motus has promise despite kinks”, October 13, 2026. Still lists account verification steps among the hurdles in October.

   Workaround

   Call the FMCSA Contact Center at 1-800-832-5660. FMCSA may refer you to an in-person enrollment center; call FMCSA before going to one (FMCSA, Modernization FAQs and enrollment center page).

   Status

   FMCSA said on June 4 that changes had already been made (FreightWaves). Verification was still named as a hurdle on October 13, 2026 (FleetOwner).

4. 4. I cannot log in, or Motus says "Unauthorized access"

   First reported May 30, 2026 · Fix announced, still reported

   What you see

   Sign-in attempts return error screens or a bare "Unauthorized access" message, and access that worked a moment ago fails the next time.

   Confirmed by

   • FreightWaves, “One of the Worst Software Releases I've Ever Witnessed: users are not holding back on FMCSA's new Motus system”, May 30, 2026. Users describe intermittent error messages, spinning wheels and invalid login screens.
   • FreightWaves, “FMCSA responds 2X to ongoing problems with Motus rollout”, June 4, 2026. FMCSA's memo addresses first-time login problems.
   • FleetOwner, “Heller: Motus has promise despite kinks”, October 13, 2026. Describes the site simply not working for some users in October.
   • Overdrive, “FMCSA's Motus mess improving, little by little? Weigh in”, October 13, 2026. A consultant reports clients still unable to log in.

   Workaround

   FreightWaves (May 30) passes on users' advice: screenshot each error with the date and time, file as soon as the system lets you in, and do not create duplicate accounts. Carriers in good standing were told by FMCSA's Administrator they could wait to log in until the rush passed (FreightWaves, June 4).

   Status

   FMCSA said first-time login was corrected (June 4). Login failures were still being reported on October 13, 2026 (Overdrive, FleetOwner).

5. 5. My MCS-150 biennial update will not go through

   First reported May 20, 2026 · Enforcement suspended

   What you see

   The biennial update cannot be filed, either because the USDOT number has not been claimed yet or because Motus returns errors. One carrier reported an "application has expired" message he was told only a supervisor could clear.

   Confirmed by

   • Land Line, “FMCSA launches Motus; carriers run into early snags”, May 20, 2026. Updates, including the MCS-150, blocked until the USDOT number is claimed.
   • Overdrive, “FMCSA suspends USDOT deactivations as Motus issues mount for carriers”, June 24, 2026. Reports FMCSA suspending USDOT inactivations as Motus problems mount; a carrier unable to file for three months.
   • FMCSA, “Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement”, last updated September 10, 2026. FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement of biennial updates and the inactivation of USDOT numbers for entities that have not completed one.
   • Land Line, “Motus problems lead to continued pause on biennial update requirement”, September 10, 2026. The pause stays in effect until further notice.
   • Overdrive, “FMCSA's Motus mess improving, little by little? Weigh in”, October 13, 2026. The "application has expired" report.

   Workaround

   FMCSA has temporarily suspended enforcement of biennial updates and the inactivation of USDOT numbers that missed one, with additional time for registrants whose update came due on or after June 1, 2026, and no end date announced (FMCSA). The update is still required and still accepted, so file it when Motus lets you, and keep a dated screenshot of any error.

   Status

   Suspension in effect, no end date (FMCSA page last updated September 10, 2026).

   Our note: Every Motus screen of the update, including the certification step that keeps the Start button disabled, is in our free guide. How to file the MCS-150 in Motus.

6. 6. My authority was suspended for no insurance, but my insurance is active

   First reported June 4, 2026 · Improving

   What you see

   Motus marks the operating authority suspended for lack of insurance while an active policy shows on the carrier's own profile. Broker vetting tools pick up the suspension and stop booking the truck.

   Confirmed by

   • FreightWaves, “FMCSA responds 2X to ongoing problems with Motus rollout”, June 4, 2026. FMCSA's memo says it is addressing issues affecting insurance filings and operating authority status.
   • Overdrive, “What's wrong with this picture? Motus mess costing small fleets thousands”, August 28, 2026. A small carrier suspended with an active policy on his own profile.
   • CCJ, “FMCSA defends buggy Motus rollout as necessary growing pain in fraud crackdown”, September 14, 2026. FMCSA says fixes for insurance filings that fail to sync with Motus remain under internal review.
   • Overdrive, “FMCSA's Motus mess improving, little by little? Weigh in”, October 13, 2026. A leased owner-operator's carrier shown with no insurance; a consultant reports fewer cases each day.

   Workaround

   Open one Contact Center ticket per case and follow up on that ticket rather than opening duplicates (FMCSA, suspension page). A consultant quoted by Overdrive (October 13) resolved cases by working directly with FMCSA's Office of Registration. No source says a refiling by the insurer fixes it by itself.

   Status

   FMCSA said on September 14 that the sync fixes remain under internal review (CCJ). Fewer cases reported by October 13, 2026 (Overdrive).

   Our note: Ask your insurer for the date the filing was transmitted to FMCSA and get it in writing before you call; it shortens the call. Insurance cancellation and filings.

7. 7. Motus shows the wrong insurance requirement

   First reported September 8, 2026 · No FMCSA status

   What you see

   Motus shows a higher required minimum than the carrier needs (for example $5,000,000 instead of $750,000), so a compliant policy reads as short. Old policies stay active after replacement, the wrong policy is cancelled, or an excess layer shows as primary coverage.

   Confirmed by

   • CCJ, “Motus system glitches: 6 errors threatening carrier compliance”, September 8, 2026. Central Analysis Bureau found the filing requirement increased for about 150,000 carriers and replacement filings cancelling the wrong policy.
   • Overdrive, “FMCSA's Motus mess improving, little by little? Weigh in”, October 13, 2026. A consultant describes a carrier shown as needing $5 million in coverage.

   Workaround

   Central Analysis Bureau, via CCJ (September 8): watch the required limit on your record, challenge it if it is wrong, and check active status and insurance together. Nothing published by FMCSA for this problem specifically.

   Status

   A consultant puts the worst of it around September 1, with fewer cases since (Overdrive, October 13). No FMCSA status published.

8. 8. My authority status is wrong: active but revoked, or cancelled for no reason

   First reported May 20, 2026 · No fix published

   What you see

   Motus shows a contradictory or wrong operating authority status: "Active" with a reason of "Revoked", or a valid authority switched to inactive despite current insurance.

   Confirmed by

   • Land Line, “FMCSA launches Motus; carriers run into early snags”, May 20, 2026. Operating authorities not displaying accurately in Motus at launch.
   • Overdrive, “FMCSA's new authority counts fall to zero after Motus? Not quite”, June 10, 2026. An authority listed as active with the reason "revoked".
   • CCJ, “Motus system glitches: 6 errors threatening carrier compliance”, September 8, 2026. Valid operating authorities cancelled without justification.
   • FleetOwner, “Heller: Motus has promise despite kinks”, October 13, 2026. Inactive operating authority among the problems still reported in October.

   Workaround

   Open a Contact Center ticket (FMCSA). Check status and insurance together (Central Analysis Bureau, via CCJ, September 8). Nothing else published.

   Status

   FMCSA said on June 4 that improvements would begin soon (FreightWaves). No closure published.

   Our note: A display that says active is not authority FMCSA has confirmed. Before hauling, get the actual status from FMCSA in writing. What each Motus status means.

9. 9. My BOC-3 vanished and my authority went inactive

   First reported September 10, 2026 · No fix published

   What you see

   Motus drops the carrier's BOC-3 process agent designation, or cancels the authority for a missing BOC-3 while one is on file, and the authority shows inactive, in one case discovered at a roadside inspection.

   Confirmed by

   • CCJ, “Carrier stranded at weigh station by bungled Motus rollout”, September 10, 2026. A carrier stranded at a weigh station after Motus removed its BOC-3 designation without warning; FMCSA reactivated it on September 11.
   • CCJ, “FMCSA defends buggy Motus rollout as necessary growing pain in fraud crackdown”, September 14, 2026. Central Analysis Bureau counted 143 records listed inactive with a BOC-3 on record.

   Workaround

   None published. In the CCJ case the process agent refiled the BOC-3 the same day, which did not restore the authority by itself; it was reactivated after the case reached FMCSA.

   Status

   That carrier was reactivated on September 11, 2026 (CCJ). No system-wide fix published.

10. 10. Motus and SAFER do not match

    First reported June 25, 2026 · No status published

    What you see

    Motus and other FMCSA systems show different information for the same carrier. Central Analysis Bureau found Motus failing to flag some carriers under out-of-service orders that SAFER shows correctly.

    Confirmed by

    • FreightWaves, “Latest move by FMCSA suggests Motus rollout woes are continuing”, June 25, 2026. A consultant on conflicting information across government systems.
    • CCJ, “Motus system glitches: 6 errors threatening carrier compliance”, September 8, 2026. Central Analysis Bureau treats the older SAFER system as the accurate source for out-of-service status.
    • FMCSA, “Registration Modernization FAQs”, no update date shown. FMCSA says it will eventually keep registration data in one central system.

    Workaround

    FMCSA's suspension page points to the Public Motus Search to see the registration record. Central Analysis Bureau (via CCJ, September 8) relies on SAFER for out-of-service status. Nothing else published.

    Status

    No status published.

    Our note: Brokers commonly check SAFER, so a mismatch can cost loads either way. Keep FMCSA's written confirmation of your actual status. SAFER and Motus disagree.

11. 11. Motus changed my company information

    First reported June 24, 2026 · No status published

    What you see

    Company records changed during the move: a legal name overwritten with the name of the carrier's separately registered brokerage, or a new USDOT number created when a carrier tried to claim its existing one.

    Confirmed by

    • Overdrive, “FMCSA suspends USDOT deactivations as Motus issues mount for carriers”, June 24, 2026. Motus created a new USDOT number for a long-established company trying to claim its own.
    • CCJ, “Carrier stranded at weigh station by bungled Motus rollout”, September 10, 2026. Motus overwrote a business's legal name on its DOT account.
    • CCJ, “FMCSA defends buggy Motus rollout as necessary growing pain in fraud crackdown”, September 14, 2026. FMCSA points to inaccurate carrier-submitted data and says about a quarter of its MCS-150 reminder letters came back undeliverable.

    Workaround

    Do not open new or duplicate accounts to get around an access problem (FreightWaves, May 30). No general fix published.

    Status

    The carrier in the CCJ story had still not been able to fix its name as of September 10, 2026. No FMCSA status published.

12. 12. My reinstatement payment did not go through

    First reported June 24, 2026 · No status published

    What you see

    At the payment step of a reinstatement, the amount due changed from $80 to $0 after submitting, with no confirmation and no charge, and the reinstatement then sat for weeks.

    Confirmed by

    • Overdrive, “FMCSA suspends USDOT deactivations as Motus issues mount for carriers”, June 24, 2026. A carrier's $80 reinstatement payment showing $0 due, resolved nearly a month later after repeated escalations.

    Workaround

    None published. The carrier was told to try other devices and was escalated to a supervisor several times (Overdrive).

    Status

    That carrier was resolved nearly a month later. No system-wide status published.

13. 13. I cannot get anyone at FMCSA on the phone

    First reported May 30, 2026 · Hours extended, still reported

    What you see

    Holds measured in hours, calls dropped just before they are answered, callbacks that never come, and generic email replies.

    Confirmed by

    • FreightWaves, “One of the Worst Software Releases I've Ever Witnessed: users are not holding back on FMCSA's new Motus system”, May 30, 2026. Users describe two-hour holds in the first weeks.
    • CCJ, “Carrier stranded at weigh station by bungled Motus rollout”, September 10, 2026. A carrier disconnected repeatedly near the front of the queue.
    • CCJ, “FMCSA defends buggy Motus rollout as necessary growing pain in fraud crackdown”, September 14, 2026. FMCSA says average hold times continue to drop and sets up no separate escalation path.
    • FMCSA, “Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement”, last updated September 10, 2026. FMCSA has extended Contact Center hours.
    • Overdrive, “FMCSA's Motus mess improving, little by little? Weigh in”, October 13, 2026. A reader reports a hold of nearly eight hours in October.

    Workaround

    FMCSA: phone or chat at 1-800-832-5660, now 8:00 am to 11:00 pm Eastern on weekdays plus Saturdays; or a web ticket from the support page linked on FMCSA's suspension page, followed up on that same ticket rather than duplicated. Sign up for FMCSA's Registration Alerts to hear about fixes.

    Status

    Long holds still reported on October 13, 2026 (Overdrive).

14. 14. I got an email telling me to update my profile in the "New MOTUS Portal"

    First reported September 15, 2026 · Active scam

    What you see

    Emails with the subject "Notice of Required Off-Cycle Update- Motus email" push carriers to fake "New MOTUS Portal" sites. The only real Motus address is motus.dot.gov.

    Confirmed by

    • FMCSA, “Fraud Alerts”, last updated October 15, 2026. FMCSA's alert "Bogus Motus App and Links" lists the fake addresses: dot.motuswebresources.com, dot.motusdatasboard.com, dot.motusdatadesk.com, dot.motuswebdeck.com and dot.motusfunction.com.
    • FreightWaves, “FMCSA warns trucking companies about 4 fake Motus registration sites”, September 15, 2026. FMCSA's warning as first reported, with four fake sites.
    • Trucking Info (HDT), “FMCSA Pauses Biennial-Update Enforcement Amid Motus Transition”, September 15, 2026. The Motus transition has given scammers a new opening.

    Workaround

    FMCSA: do not click suspicious links; hover over them to see the real address, and use only motus.dot.gov (Motus is "not an acronym and not all caps"). Report the attempt to the FTC, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, local police or your state attorney general, and call FMCSA at 1-800-832-5660 if you were targeted.

    Status

    Active. FMCSA's Fraud Alerts page was last updated October 15, 2026, and now lists five fake addresses.

Checked and not confirmed

“New USDOT and MC applications dropped to zero after Motus.” Overdrive looked into this on June 10, 2026 and found it almost certainly untrue: Central Analysis Bureau counted 12,711 new USDOT numbers and 4,337 new MC authorities from the launch week through June 9, and the zero came from Motus reporting the data differently from the old system (Overdrive, June 10, 2026). The real problem behind it is entry 8.

What FMCSA’s own data shows

Our analysis of FMCSA’s Company Census File found the mix of new interstate carriers changing the week registration moved to Motus: carriers reporting zero trucks fell from 13.2% of those added January to April 2026 to 0.6% of those added June to September, and two-truck carriers rose from 10.2% to 25.2%. The file does not say why, and we do not claim a cause. The census analysis, with method.

How this log is kept

• Every source was read on October 18, 2026. FMCSA's own pages come first; trade articles are summarized and cited, with the outlet, title and date as printed.
• "First reported" is the earliest publication date among the sources we read. An earlier report may exist; if you have one, send it and we will correct the entry.
• A workaround is only what a source says, attributed to it. Anything that is our own advice is labelled "Our note".
• A problem that gets fixed stays in the log with its status updated, so the record of what happened is not lost.
• Every entry is confirmed by a public source. Where a carrier we work with has hit the same problem, we add it without anything that identifies the carrier: no name, number, place or exact date.
• Updated monthly. Next update: November 18, 2026.

Related guides: new authority pending in Motus, how to file the MCS-150 in Motus and a USDOT number showing inactive.

Every source in this edition

• CCJ, “Carrier stranded at weigh station by bungled Motus rollout”, September 10, 2026
• CCJ, “FMCSA defends buggy Motus rollout as necessary growing pain in fraud crackdown”, September 14, 2026
• CCJ, “Motus system glitches: 6 errors threatening carrier compliance”, September 8, 2026
• FleetOwner, “Heller: Motus has promise despite kinks”, October 13, 2026
• FMCSA, “Fraud Alerts”, last updated October 15, 2026
• FMCSA, “Move into Motus”, last updated May 18, 2026
• FMCSA, “Registration Alerts”, last updated October 12, 2026
• FMCSA, “Registration Modernization FAQs”, no update date shown
• FMCSA, “Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement”, last updated September 10, 2026
• FreightWaves, “FMCSA responds 2X to ongoing problems with Motus rollout”, June 4, 2026
• FreightWaves, “FMCSA warns trucking companies about 4 fake Motus registration sites”, September 15, 2026
• FreightWaves, “Latest move by FMCSA suggests Motus rollout woes are continuing”, June 25, 2026
• FreightWaves, “One of the Worst Software Releases I've Ever Witnessed: users are not holding back on FMCSA's new Motus system”, May 30, 2026
• Land Line, “FMCSA launches Motus; carriers run into early snags”, May 20, 2026
• Land Line, “Motus problems lead to continued pause on biennial update requirement”, September 10, 2026
• Land Line, “Motus problems persist; FMCSA gives guidance”, July 15, 2026
• Overdrive, “FMCSA suspends USDOT deactivations as Motus issues mount for carriers”, June 24, 2026
• Overdrive, “FMCSA's Motus mess improving, little by little? Weigh in”, October 13, 2026
• Overdrive, “FMCSA's new authority counts fall to zero after Motus? Not quite”, June 10, 2026
• Overdrive, “What's wrong with this picture? Motus mess costing small fleets thousands”, August 28, 2026
• Trucking Info (HDT), “FMCSA Pauses Biennial-Update Enforcement Amid Motus Transition”, September 15, 2026

Updated October 18, 2026. TenFour Compliance is a private compliance service, not a law firm, and is not affiliated with FMCSA or any government agency. Nobody outside FMCSA can make Motus move faster, and we do not claim to.