Freight Industry Adopts Shared Standards to Combat Rising Cargo Theft

Highway, a carrier identity and vetting platform, is spearheading an industry movement toward shared data standards and accountability mechanisms to combat evolving cargo theft tactics. The company has expanded its carrier vetting model to include five stakeholder groups: brokers, carriers, insurers, factoring companies, and telematics providers. Rather than blaming individual actors, Highway argues that lack of incentive alignment across these parties creates exploitable vulnerabilities that thieves actively target. The initiative comes at a critical moment following the Supreme Court's May 2024 ruling in Montgomery v.

Caribe Transport II, which established that freight brokers can face negligent-hiring lawsuits over carrier selection. This legal precedent has significantly raised the stakes for broker risk management. Highway's response includes a certification program for insurance agencies (launched June 2024 with 10 founding members) that commits participants to accurate insurance documentation, VIN-level coverage details, and timely policy change notifications. For supply chain professionals, this shift signals a structural change in how the freight industry manages risk and accountability.

Rather than point solutions from single vendors, the industry is moving toward collaborative governance frameworks similar to those established in payments (Visa) and early financial markets. Brokers and carriers face increasing pressure to adopt these standards, not only for operational efficiency but to mitigate legal liability in a post-Montgomery environment.