Supreme Court rules brokers can be sued for hiring unsafe truckers—safety trumps FAAAA’s business protections

In Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II (2026), the United States Supreme Court ruled that brokers can be held liable for negligently hiring unsafe trucking companies. Shawn Montgomery was seriously injured in a truck accident, and he claimed that C.H. Robinson, a broker, failed to exercise reasonable care in selecting Caribe Transport, which had a poor safety record.

The Court held that this type of claim falls under FAAAA’s safety exception, which allows states to regulate motor vehicle safety even though the law generally preempts state regulation of trucking prices, routes, or services. In short, brokers aren’t shielded from liability when their hiring decisions directly concern the safety of vehicles and drivers.