House T&I to consider trucking bills

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will have a markup hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 18 that will include discussion of at least two bills of interest to the trucking industry.

The committee is scheduled to consider about 30 bills, including the Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act and the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act.

Live video of the hearing will be streamed here. The markup hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Eastern.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which represents small-business truckers, is supportive of both bills.

HR3356, which was introduced by Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., would modify a commercial vehicle operator safety screening program to allow the motor carrier industry to access an individual operator’s crash and serious safety violation inspection history during employment. Currently, the program is focused on pre-employment screening.

The Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act was introduced in May 2023 and has four co-sponsors.

OOIDA said the legislation would improve due process for truckers by providing an impartial review process when a driver challenges an incorrectly issued citation or violation. HR3356 would require states to establish a DataQ system where the review is adjudicated by someone other than the officer who issued the violation.

“This change will help promote transparency and fairness in the DataQ process, and ultimately, help ensure the accuracy of information in the system,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a letter to the committee.

HR8505, which was introduced by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., would restore and codify the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s authority to issue civil penalties against scammers. It also requires that brokers provide a valid business address and ensures that brokers disclose common ownership among other entities.

The Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act was introduced this past May and has five co-sponsors.

OOIDA, the American Trucking Associations, the Transportation Intermediaries Association and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance are all supportive of HR8505.

“Combating fraud is imperative for the protection of brokers, motor carriers, shippers, consumers and the integrity of the economic system,” the groups wrote to the committee. “Fraudulent activities cost the trucking industry over $800 million annually, much of which ends up being borne by the consumer. Freight fraud committed by criminals and scam artists has been particularly devastating to many small businesses. The current regulatory framework limits enforcement and enables bad actors to operate with impunity.” LL