New carrier vetting framework addresses post-Montgomery selection concerns

Cassandra Gaines, founder and CEO of Carrier Assure, released The CAVRA Standard, a 54-page framework designed to help brokers, shippers, and freight forwarders establish defensible carrier-selection processes. The standard was unveiled during a webinar attended by more than 800 transportation professionals and formally released Wednesday. The framework centers on four principles: carrier assessment, verification, risk, and accountability. It establishes nine core principles for carrier vetting, including continuous monitoring, documentation of exceptions, identity verification, and controls to prevent double brokering and fraud. Gaines developed the standard in response to growing industry uncertainty following recent court decisions that have intensified scrutiny of carrier-selection practices, particularly after the Supreme Court's Montgomery case ruling. Shippers and brokers have sought clearer guidance on what constitutes a reasonable and defensible selection standard. The CAVRA Standard moves beyond basic checks like operating authority and insurance coverage. It recommends evaluating safety data, roadside inspection history, fraud indicators, shipment suitability, and operational red flags. The framework also calls for minimum authority-history requirements, safety-rating reviews, and documented escalation procedures when carriers present elevated risks. Gaines positioned the standard as a practical benchmark rather than a rigid checklist, making it publicly available for transportation companies to use when comparing against existing vetting programs or building new policies. The emphasis centers on whether carrier-selection decisions were reasonable based on available information at the time, not whether every decision proved perfect.