Transportation officials in the Canadian province of Alberta say they have removed 20 unsafe trucking companies from its roads as part of a broader crackdown targeting noncompliant carriers, fraudulent driver-training schools and companies attempting to evade regulators.
Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen said the province has issued 443 administrative penalties since October while eliminating the 20 carriers from its roadways. Of those companies, 13 were identified as “chameleon carriers,” according to the province.
Chameleon carriers are trucking companies that attempt to avoid regulatory oversight by changing names, creating new business entities or relocating their operations across jurisdictions.
“Our government is continuing to take tough enforcement action to improve safety across the trucking industry,” Dreeshen said in a statement released Thursday. “We are applying vigilant oversight of carriers and driver training schools through inspections, audits and targeted investigations.”
Alberta said six additional carriers have been removed from the province’s international registration plan over the past year for misrepresenting their jurisdiction.
Fatal crash leads to shutdown of Conquer Transportation
The province highlighted enforcement action taken against Conquer Transportation Inc. in June following a fatal crash in Manitoba.
An investigation found what Alberta officials described as “wilful and sustained non-compliance” that posed an ongoing risk to the public. Authorities also determined the company was engaged in chameleon-carrier practices designed to evade compliance and enforcement.
Alberta assessed $16,500 in administrative penalties against Conquer Transportation and downgraded the carrier’s Safety Fitness Rating to “Unsatisfactory,” effectively shutting down its operations immediately.
Alberta officials said they are working with federal and other provincial and territorial governments to strengthen enforcement against chameleon carriers operating across jurisdictions.
Alberta targets Drivers Inc. model
The province is also stepping up scrutiny of the so-called Drivers Inc. model, in which trucking companies classify drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.
Alberta officials said the arrangement can be used by companies to avoid payroll taxes and employee benefits, while drivers operating under the model can lack proper training, oversight and workplace protections.
A three-day commercial driver status enforcement operation in May found that 20% of the 81 drivers stopped were suspected of being misclassified, including several temporary foreign workers.
Driver-training schools are another focus of Alberta’s enforcement campaign.
The province said it has shut down five fraudulent Class 1 trucking schools. Since April 1, 2025, inspectors have reviewed 53 of Alberta’s 56 licensed Class 1 driver-training schools, representing 95% of the total.
Why it matters: Alberta’s crackdown illustrates growing Canadian efforts to prevent unsafe trucking companies from escaping enforcement by reincorporating or moving across provincial borders, while regulators also increase scrutiny of driver classification and commercial driver training.
