A new bill in the House aims to crack down on chameleon motor carriers.
On Thursday, Feb. 12, Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., introduced the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act.
HR7539 would direct the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to conduct a study on chameleon carriers and test an advanced automation tool to help enforcement identify the bad actors.
A chameleon carrier is a trucking company that illegally reopens under a new name and DOT number after being cited or shut down by FMCSA.
Under the bill, FMCSA would be required to submit a report on the study’s findings within one year of the legislation’s enactment. The report would include information about the prevalence of chameleon carriers and the estimated number of fatalities these companies have caused.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supports Hageman’s bill.
“Chameleon carriers have undermined America’s highway safety and damaged the professionalism of the trucking industry by evading enforcement, dodging penalties and reopening under new identities,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “Rep. Hageman’s SAFE Act takes decisive action to detect and crack down on these bad actors at the registration stage. OOIDA and truckers across America commend Rep. Hageman’s leadership in restoring accountability to the system and standing up for law-abiding small-business truckers and the safety of the motoring public.”
The American Trucking Associations and Wyoming Trucking Association also voiced support for the SAFE Act.
“Chameleon carriers are a plague on our nation’s highways, putting all motorists at risk and undercutting the vast majority of trucking companies that are responsible and follow the rules,” said Alex Rosen, ATA senior vice president of legislative affairs. “Safety is a priority for our members, which is why we are grateful for Rep. Hageman’s leadership to strengthen federal safety requirements and oversight.” LL
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