A bipartisan bill aims to combat freight fraud, with support from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).
On Thursday, May 23, OOIDA emailed its roughly 150,000 members, directly urging them to back HR8505.
Named the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act, this bill also offers significant protections for truck drivers.
Introduced on Wednesday, May 22, by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., and Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Miss., HR8505 seeks to restore and solidify the FMCSA’s authority to impose civil penalties on fraudulent individuals. It also mandates that brokers, freight forwarders, and carriers provide a valid business address to FMCSA before obtaining operating authority.
“Small-business truckers are victimized through unpaid claims, unpaid loads, double-brokered loads or load-phishing schemes on a daily basis,” OOIDA wrote. “Yet, current DOT practices restrict fraud enforcement, enable bad actors to operate with impunity and force out drivers who want to build sustainable trucking careers.”
OOIDA is highly encouraging its members to contact their lawmakers to support HR8505, as it could result in major progress in fighting fraud within the industry. Freight fraud is a significant issue in the trucking industry, costing over $800 million annually. Motor carriers suffer from unpaid claims, unpaid loads, double brokering, and load-phishing schemes.
“Freight fraud committed by criminals and scam artists has been devastating to many small-business truckers simply trying to make a living in a tough freight market,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA president. “OOIDA and the 150,000 small-business truckers we represent applaud Del. Holmes Norton and Rep. Ezell for their bipartisan leadership to provide FMCSA better tools to root out fraudulent actors, which are also harmful to consumers and highway safety. Because of the broad industry support for these commonsense reforms, we hope this bipartisan legislation will move through the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee without delay.”
Contacting lawmakers is easy on FightingForTruckers.com, where truckers can locate their representatives by entering their zip code and sending a message of support in minutes.
In addition to OOIDA, the bill is endorsed by the Transportation Intermediaries Association, American Trucking Associations’ Moving and Storage Conference, National Association of Small Trucking Companies, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Institute for Safer Trucking, and Road Safe America.
Source: Land Line
