SAFE Act — Chameleon Carriers

Summary#

This bill, the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act, directs two main actions. First, within 1 year the Comptroller General must report to Congress on "chameleon carriers" — carriers that try to operate under new or different identities to avoid safety rules, penalties, or insurance consequences. The report must estimate how many such carriers exist, list deaths, injuries, and property damage since a 2012 report, describe methods chameleon carriers use, analyze the Department of Transportation's current monitoring and enforcement tools (including registration and software), and offer recommendations and any needed legislative fixes.

Second, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) must develop, test, and implement an advanced automation tool within 1 year to help registration staff detect registration applications that show signs of chameleon carrier activity. The tool must check many indicators of continuity between entities (ownership, officers, addresses, vehicles, insurance, drivers, dates of creation/closure, advertising, and other factors), detect insurance lapses, compile evidence, provide decision support (but not make final automated decisions), and enable automated information sharing between agencies. The bill requires memoranda of understanding for data sharing with several Federal and State agencies, an appeals process for applicants flagged and denied by the tool (notification with flagged factors, 30 days to correct, and a redetermination within 30 days), a briefing to congressional committees within 30 days of enactment, data privacy protections, and an inspector general report on the tool's effectiveness within 2 years after implementation.

The bill defines "chameleon carrier" by listing specific ways an entity may try to evade enforcement, penalties, insurance rules, or linkage to negative safety history.

What it means for you#

  • If you apply for a Department of Transportation (DOT) number: your application may be screened by a new automated tool for signs of being linked to a prior carrier with negative history. If flagged and denied, you will get a notice that lists flagged factors and you will have 30 days to correct the application. The agency must complete a redetermination within 30 days of receiving corrected information.
  • If you work at FMCSA or a partner agency: the bill requires developing and using a new automated screening tool, entering into information-sharing agreements, and following data privacy rules. Final registration decisions remain with agency staff, not the tool.
  • For states and other agencies: the bill encourages or requires memoranda of understanding to share information used by the tool.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on estimated costs or funding is included in the bill text. The bill sets deadlines (1 year for the GAO report and 1 year for developing and testing the tool) and requires an inspector general audit and report within 2 years after the tool is implemented, but it does not specify appropriations or cost estimates.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.