Senators Introduce SAFE Act to Target Chameleon Carriers

US Senators Todd Young and Andy Kim have introduced the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act, a Senate companion to a House bill targeting chameleon carriers. The legislation directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to study chameleon carriers and develop an automated tool to detect registration applications from carriers evading oversight. Chameleon carriers are motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, or related businesses operating under new or affiliated identities to evade FMCSA regulations, orders, enforcement actions, safety records, and insurance requirements. The SAFE Act aims to prevent these companies from reincorporating, re-registering, or transforming themselves into another carrier entity after a denied, non-renewed, or canceled insurance policy due to safety, claims, or compliance history. The bill has gained support from the American Trucking Associations, with legislative affairs senior vice president Alex Rosen stating that it would give FMCSA a more powerful and proactive tool to prevent bad actors before they reappear under new names, ownership, or USDOT numbers to evade accountability. The House bill, introduced by Rep. Harriet Hageman, has 19 co-sponsors and remains before the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. The legislation is part of a broader effort to crack down on bad actors in the trucking industry, with the Trump administration forming multiagency agreements to share information and enforce regulations.