On May 15, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that federal law does not shield freight brokers from state negligence lawsuits over unsafe carrier hiring. The decision in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II has significant implications for freight brokers, motor carriers, shippers, logistics providers, and the organization that rely on them.
Freight brokers have spent the past several weeks digesting one of the most consequential transportation law decisions in years, and the implications are still unfolding.
While the case centers on freight brokerage, its impact extends well beyond the commercial freight industry. While Move For Hunger is not a freight broker, our work depends on a reliable transportation network to rescue food and deliver it to communities in need. Decisions that affect freight brokerage, carrier safety, and transportation partnerships ultimately affect the network that helps move donated food to communities experiencing hunger.
What the Supreme Court Decided
The case traces back to a 2017 accident on Illinois Interstate 70. A tractor-trailer rear-ended Shawn Montgomery's stopped vehicle, causing injuries that led to the amputation of his leg. The driver was hauling cargo for Caribe Transport II, a motor carrier hired by freight broker C.H. Robinson Worldwide. Montgomery sued the broker, arguing it should have known the carrier was unsafe. At the time of hiring, federal regulators had given Caribe Transport II a "conditional" safety rating, citing deficiencies in driver qualification, hours of service, and crash rates.
C.H. Robinson argued the lawsuit was preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (FAAAA), a law passed to deregulate the trucking industry. The Court disagreed.
In a 9-0 decision authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Court ruled that while the FAAAA preempts most state regulations of brokers and motor carriers, it preserves a state's authority to regulate motor vehicle safety and common-law duties, like the duty to use reasonable care when hiring a contractor, are part of that authority. Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Samuel Alito joined the majority but wrote a separate concurrence emphasizing that the ruling shouldn’t open brokers to routine liability. Brokers who act reasonably and select reputable carriers, Kavanaugh wrote, "should be able to successfully defend against state tort suits."
What This Means for the Transportation Industry
The ruling does not mean that brokers suddenly become responsible for every issue involving a contracted carrier. But it does raise the stakes around carrier selection.
For many brokers, reviewing FMCSA safety data, insurance coverage, operating authority, and crash history is already part of everyday business. The Montgomery decision will likely lead many brokers to document their carrier selection process more carefully and pay even closer attention to carrier performance over time. Brokers who’ve invested in rigorous vetting may find the ruling validates years of careful work. For others, it offers a clear roadmap for what courts, regulators, and customers now expect.
None of this is unfamiliar territory for the logistics industry. From electronic logbooks to evolving FMCSA safety standards, transportation professionals have adapted to significant regulatory shifts before, and built safer operations in the process.
Why This Matters Beyond Freight Brokers
Although the ruling focuses on freight brokers, the underlying principle applies across the transportation industry. Any organization that depends on transportation partners benefits from strong carrier vetting and a culture of accountability. Every year, Move For Hunger works with freight brokers, carriers, moving companies and logistics providers to coordinate food donations that might otherwise go to waste. Our work depends on a network of transportation partners we can trust through our Charity Freight Network.
Since 2009, our partners in the moving, freight, and logistics industries have helped us transport more than 84 million pounds of food – the equivalent of over 70 million meals – to food banks and pantries across the United States and Canada. None of that happens without trusted carriers. When donated food is moved across the country, every decision matters. The driver behind the wheel, the condition of the equipment, and the process used to select transportation partners all play a role in getting that food where it needs to go safely.
We've seen this firsthand during disaster response efforts, when donated food often needs to travel hundreds of miles in a matter of days. Those rescues only happen because transportation partners can be counted on to move food safely and efficiently. Every successful delivery depends on people throughout the supply chain making thoughtful, responsible decisions long before a truck leaves the loading dock.
The Bigger Picture
The Supreme Court’s decision is about more than liability. It reminds us that every shipment begins with a choice about who gets trusted to move it.
For organizations moving household goods, or donated food bound for a family facing hunger, those choices matter. Strong partnerships reduce risk and while also helping to ensure every load reaches its destination safely.
Join the Charity Freight Network Waitlist
At Move For Hunger, our Charity Freight Network connects carriers, freight brokers, moving companies and logistics providers with opportunities to transport donated food to communities across North America. Freight members are added to our preferred supplier network and connected with our bulk food recovery team. When transportation needs arise in your service areas, our team reaches out with opportunities to help rescue food that might otherwise go to waste.
Beyond transporting bulk food shipments, Charity Freight Network members help their own Food & Beverage clients create an even greater impact by recovering rejected food cargo, salvaging damaged but edible goods, and redirecting aging inventory to food banks and community organizations instead of landfills.
Because demand to join has been so strong, our Charity Freight Network is currently at capacity and we’ve opened a waitlist for future partners. If your company wants to put its transportation expertise to work, reduce food waste, and help provide meals to communities facing hunger, click the link below:
