U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced legislation this week that would improve highway safety and implement motor carrier standards.
The Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish a Safety Fitness Determination test for shippers and brokers as a way to ensure that trucking companies are licensed, registered and insured. The legislation was co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID).
“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,” Fischer said.
Currently, third-party logistics providers lack a national standard to determine a truck carrier’s safety. The new standard would require motor carriers to be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), meet at least the minimum insurance requirement and not have an unsatisfactory safety rating. Officials said the legislation would establish a national motor carrier hiring standard.
Transportation and logistics groups offered support for the legislation.
“Without a clear federal standard, the result is a confusing patchwork of standards that threaten the nation’s economy and public safety. Some companies have already begun excluding motor carriers from their logistics networks based on their own assessment of who is ‘safe’ and who is not,” said Ben Campbell, Chief Legal Officer of C. H. Robinson. “This harms small carriers with five trucks or fewer who make up 90% of the market. Congress established the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and their trained safety experts to keep the motoring public safe. With this bill, Senator Fischer will improve safety and increase access to freight for small motor carriers, which will improve the nation’s supply chains.”