Motive Cuts Data Access to Highway in Payment Dispute: What It Means
Motive restricts API access to Highway, disrupting visibility for brokers and carriers using its ELD devices.
The change, effective immediately, follows Motive’s demand for compensation from Highway to maintain data integration, a demand Highway has refused, citing its policy of not charging carriers for ELD connections.
The company warned that brokers hiring carriers using Motive hardware now face reduced data refresh rates, limiting their ability to track loads in real time. Crucially, Highway can no longer provide location-based Load Lock Alerts for these carriers, nor can it extend its Performance Guarantee, a financial backstop that assumes responsibility for outcomes on verified loads.
Motive’s decision to throttle its API connection disrupts this workflow, forcing brokers to either accept degraded visibility or push carriers to switch to alternative ELD providers.
For brokers, the implications are immediate. Highway’s Performance Guarantee, introduced as a market differentiator, had positioned the company as the first carrier vetting platform to put its own capital behind verification. With this guarantee now withdrawn for Motive-equipped carriers, brokers face higher financial risk when booking loads. As Highway noted in its customer communication, the company is working with 275 other ELD providers to offer discounted alternatives, but the transition could take time, and leave brokers exposed in the interim.
The dispute also raises questions about the sustainability of Motive’s business model.
Highway has made it clear that it will not pass Motive’s payment demands onto carriers. Instead, it is offering an alternate tracking path through its carrier-facing mobile app for Load Lock Plus customers. However, this solution is less reliable than direct ELD integration, as it relies on application-based tracking rather than real-time equipment data.
Brokers, meanwhile, must decide how to adapt. Highway’s notice suggests that carriers remain visible on its platform, but with less frequent data updates. This could lead to delays in load tracking and increased operational friction. The company’s offer of discounted alternatives from other ELD providers may ease the transition for some carriers, but the process is unlikely to be seamless.
Neither Motive nor Highway has disclosed the commercial terms at the heart of the dispute. Motive has not publicly addressed the API restrictions, and no regulatory filings or press releases have surfaced to explain its reasoning. Highway, for its part, declined to comment beyond its customer notice. The lack of transparency leaves industry observers speculating about the long-term impact on data sharing in logistics.
One thing is certain: the dispute is far from over. For now, brokers and carriers must navigate the fallout, with Highway urging its customers to explore alternative ELD integrations. As Craig Fuller, a prominent industry commentator, tweeted on August 27, 2026:
“Motive throttled Highway because Highway refused to pay for the ELD connection. Small carriers using Motive will lose access to the Highway network, which powers a large share of brokerage freight. In this climate, brokers will be reluctant to pick a carrier that Highway…".
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the regulatory body overseeing ELD compliance, has not intervened in the dispute. Motive’s devices remain FMCSA-registered and continue to satisfy hours-of-service recordkeeping requirements under Part 395, meaning carriers using them are still compliant. However, the reduced data flow to Highway could create operational challenges for brokers who rely on real-time tracking to manage loads.
Highway’s headquarters in Dallas has been at the centre of the company’s rapid growth since its founding in 2022. Backed by investors like FTV Capital and Lead Edge Capital, the company has expanded its reach to include 175,000 carriers with active certificates of insurance. Its August 2025 growth equity round underscored investor confidence in its model, even as it faces headwinds from Motive’s API restrictions.
For brokers, the immediate priority is clear: assess the impact of reduced visibility on their operations and explore alternative ELD providers if necessary. For carriers, the choice is equally pressing: stick with Motive and risk limited access to Highway’s network, or switch to another provider to maintain seamless integration. Either way, the dispute between Motive and Highway is a wake-up call for an industry increasingly reliant on data-driven logistics.
The next steps remain uncertain. Highway has pledged to work with its network of ELD providers to ease the transition for carriers, but the timeline for a resolution is unclear. Motive’s IPO, still pending after eight months, could provide further insight into its financial strategy, but for now, the company’s silence speaks volumes. As the logistics sector grapples with this disruption, one thing is certain: the battle over data access is just beginning.
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