Senators Unleash Trucking Safety Bill to Revolutionize Highways
In a recent development, the U.S. Senate introduced a groundbreaking legislative proposal aimed at promoting highway safety by establishing federal standards to assess carrier competence.
Spearheaded by Republican Senators Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Mike Crapo of Idaho, the Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act proposes the implementation of a safety fitness determination overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The primary goal of this determination is to set robust criteria that ensure the licensing, registration, and insurance compliance of trucking companies.
Senator Fischer, a prominent member of the Commerce Committee on freight policy, expressed the significance of this measure: “Our legislation is a common-sense measure to improve highway safety and end the confusion over motor carrier selection standards. Implementing a single, simplified federal rule will also strengthen America’s supply chain and provide much-needed clarity for the transportation sector.”
Joining her in supporting the bill, Senator Crapo emphasized its broader impact: “The entire nation benefits when our interstates and highways are made safer. The Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act directs the Department of Transportation to establish new safety standards for motor carriers, and sets interim requirements to help ensure shippers and manufacturers hire safe, reliable drivers that are properly licensed, registered, and insured.”
Stakeholder Endorsements and Bipartisan Support for Safety Standards
The legislation garnered significant endorsement from various stakeholders, particularly from third-party logistics providers who currently lack a national standard for assessing the safety of truck carriers. Anne Reinke, CEO of the Transportation Intermediaries Association, praised Senator Fischer’s efforts: “TIA thanks Sen. Fischer for her continued support to address highway safety and confusion in the supply chain as it relates to motor carrier selection. Sen. Fischer is a leader on policy issues in the transportation and supply chain, and continues to be a champion on major issues that impact motor carriers, brokers, the motoring public, and highway safety.”
Earlier in the year, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a version of the bill in the House. Co-sponsor Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) highlighted the importance of establishing safety standards: “When manufacturers select trucking companies to ship their products, they are left without any standard to ensure those trucks are safe or fit to be on the road. The lack of a data-driven method to help manufacturers pick the best carriers has led to hundreds of thousands of accidents on roads and highways.”
Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), another co-sponsor, added further insights: “Our bill orders the government to set new safety standards and, until those exist, creates a three-check system for motor carriers so that everyone who hires them knows whether they’re choosing safe drivers or companies with a reputation for cutting corners and causing accidents.”
Strong Stakeholder Support for a Clear Federal Standard
The House measure also received strong support from stakeholders. Ben Campbell, Chief Legal Officer of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, emphasized the urgency for a clear federal standard: “Without a clear federal standard, the result is a confusing patchwork of standards that threaten the nation’s economy and public safety. Additionally, some shippers and brokers have already begun excluding motor carriers from their networks based on their assessment of who is ‘safe’ and who is not. This harms small carriers with five trucks or fewer who make up 90% of the market.”
This legislation has the potential to revolutionize highway safety by setting forth comprehensive federal standards to ensure the competence and reliability of motor carriers. By unifying and enhancing the selection process, the proposed act promises to make America’s highways safer for all, strengthen the supply chain, and provide much-needed clarity to the transportation sector.
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