A bipartisan bill aimed at fighting freight fraud has gained four co-sponsors this month.
The Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act, or HR8505, has received support in October from Reps. John Joyce, R-Pa.; David Valadao, R-Calif.; Andrea Salinas, D-Ore.; and Marc Veasey, D-Texas. With the additions, the bill now has 18 co-sponsors.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., and Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Miss., introduced the bill in May. It would restore and codify the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s authority to issue civil penalties against bad actors. The legislation also requires brokers, freight forwarders and carriers to provide a valid business address to the agency before they can acquire operating authority.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which represents small-business truckers, supports the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act as a way to combat freight fraud.
“HR8505 would provide FMCSA with better tools to root out unscrupulous actors, who are also harmful to consumers and highway safety,” OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh told lawmakers at a House subcommittee hearing in July.
OOIDA is encouraging its members to contact their lawmakers and ask them to support HR8505. That can be done easily by going to FightingForTruckers.com. There, truckers can find their representative by simply entering their zip code. A message of support can be sent in minutes.
“Small-business truckers are victimized through unpaid claims, unpaid loads, double-brokered loads or load-phishing schemes on a daily basis,” OOIDA wrote. “Yet, current DOT practices restrict fraud enforcement, enable bad actors to operate with impunity and force out drivers who want to build sustainable trucking careers.”
Freight fraud is estimated to cost more than $800 million each year. Motor carriers are victimized through unpaid claims, unpaid loads, double brokering and load-phishing schemes. LL
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