**Trucking Fleets "Reincarnate" to Erase Deadly Safety Records**

Some trucking companies are using a dangerous trick to stay on the road. They are dodging federal safety crackdowns by shutting down and reopening under new names, a scheme that hides their past violations from regulators. This practice, revealed in a recent investigation, allows high-risk fleets to wipe their safety records clean. Companies with serious violations—like faulty brakes or fatigued drivers—simply dissolve. They then re-form with a different corporate identity, leaving their dangerous history behind. Federal enforcement relies on tracking a company's long-term safety performance. This "reincarnation" scheme breaks that system, putting unsafe trucks back into circulation. Officials warn it creates a major loophole, endangering all road users. The tactic highlights gaps in national safety oversight. While authorities are aware of the problem, stopping these quickly-changing fleets remains a significant enforcement challenge.