Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) on July 28 introduced legislation to crack down on “chameleon carriers.”

The Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act would require a comprehensive study to determine the scope and severity of the problem and direct the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to develop a mechanism to detect chameleon carriers in the registration process.

Chameleon carriers shut down and reopen under new identities to avoid penalties and enforcement actions.

“When unsafe trucking companies evade enforcement by reopening under a new identity, everyone who shares the road with them is put at greater risk,” said Young. “Our bill will help federal regulators to identify these fraudulent operators before they hit the road, strengthening highway safety and potentially saving lives.”

The American Trucking Associations, Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association, Truckload Carriers Associations and National Tank Truck Carriers are among the industry groups backing the legislation. The Truck Safety Coalition has also expressed its support. 

The SAFE Act would also improve information sharing among federal and state agencies to better detect fraudulent registration applications and establish an appeals process for applicants incorrectly flagged by the system.

The bill is identical to the SAFE Act introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY).