Bill Aims to Make CDL Rules Stronger and Stop Fraud
A top Senate Commerce Committee member introduced a new law to fight cargo theft and strengthen commercial driver licensing rules.
Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced the Securing American Freight, Enforcement and Reliability in Transport Act to fight rising crime in freight and fix problems with how states give commercial driver licenses.
“Americans should have safe and reliable supply chains and roads,” Young said. He leads the Senate’s Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety Subcommittee.
Young said the SAFER Transport Act will help strengthen transportation, fight crime that hurts people and businesses, and keep roads safe for everyone.
The bill will make CDL (commercial driver’s license) rules stricter. It will help find and stop fraud, close loopholes used by foreign companies, and raise penalties for fake certifications.
The bill also responds to the Department of Transportation’s finding that some states, such as Illinois, California, and New York, are not complying with CDL rules for drivers who live in other states.
The bill awaits consideration in a committee of jurisdiction.
Cargo theft by organized crime groups is a major problem for freight in the U.S. It costs the trucking industry over $18 million every day, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
American Trucking Associations, which has expressed its concerns to members of Congress, is among the groups backing the new Senate bill.
ATA President Chris Spear said most trucking companies are small businesses. Criminals are exploiting weaknesses in registration rules to steal identities and commit cargo theft.
He said small companies are especially at risk from complex scams.
He said small businesses need Sen. Young’s reforms to help stop fraud and punish bad actors. He thanked Sen. Young for listening to truckers.
Other transportation and logistics organizations endorsing the bill include Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Transportation Intermediaries Association, the Commercial Vehicle Training Association, and the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
The Indiana Motor Truck Association said family-owned carriers are increasingly targeted by high-tech theft operations.
Indiana Motor Truck Association President Gary Langston said identity theft and cargo theft are big problems. He said the bill will help protect Indiana trucking companies and their workers.
Cargo theft has been a focus for Congress during the current Trump administration.
Young’s Commerce Committee colleagues recently introduced the bipartisan Cargo Security Innovation Act. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), would enhance agencies’ access to state-of-the-art technology for protecting against cargo theft.
Sen. Blackburn said cargo theft hurts Tennessee businesses and that organized crime groups are stealing goods to traffic drugs and weapons.
Her Democratic co-sponsor likewise emphasized the bill’s supply chain implications.
Sen. Klobuchar said cargo theft harms the supply chain and harms businesses and consumers, especially food companies.
