Sen. Young introduces SAFE Act to crack down on “chameleon carriers”

Submitted by Office of U.S. Senator Todd Young

On Tuesday, July 28, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) introduced the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act, legislation to crack down on so-called “chameleon carriers” – unsafe trucking companies that evade federal oversight by shutting down and reopening under new identities to avoid penalties, enforcement actions, and poor safety records.

The legislation would require a comprehensive study to determine the scope and severity of the problem and direct the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to develop a mechanism to accurately detect chameleon carriers in the registration process, ensuring they are subject to enforcement for violations under the law.

“In recent years, we’ve seen chameleon carriers become a major issue on Indiana’s roads, putting Hoosiers at risk and punishing law-abiding truckers,” Sen. Young said. “When unsafe trucking companies evade enforcement by reopening under a new identity, everyone who shares the road with them is put at greater risk. Our bill will help federal regulators to identify these fraudulent operators before they hit the road, strengthening highway safety, and potentially saving lives.”

Comments from those in the industry

Gary Langston, President and CEO, Indiana Motor Truck Association:

“For too long, chameleon carriers have been able to shed their identities, reopen under new names, and escape accountability for serious safety violations. By exploiting weaknesses in the federal registration system, they have created an uneven playing field where responsible carriers invest in compliance, training, and safe operations while bad actors simply start over with a clean slate. The SAFE Act would give federal regulators stronger tools to identify suspicious registration applications and stop these rogue operators from operating on our highways. We applaud Senator Young for his longstanding leadership to improve highway safety and support the hardworking trucking companies that play by the rules every day.”

Alex Rosen, SVP of Legislative Affairs, American Trucking Associations:

“Chameleon carriers are a plague on our nation’s highways, putting all motorists at risk while undercutting the vast majority of trucking companies that operate safely and play by the rules. This legislation will give FMCSA a more powerful and proactive tool to identify and stop these bad actors before they can evade accountability by reappearing under new names, ownership, or USDOT numbers. By leveraging advanced automation to flag suspicious registration applications, the agency will be better equipped to detect fraud, close loopholes, and keep unsafe carriers off our roads. Safety is a priority for our members, which is why we are grateful for the leadership of Senator Young and Senator Kim to strengthen federal oversight and build on the progress we’ve made alongside USDOT to remove high-risk carriers from our nation’s highways.”

Jim Mullen, President, Truckload Carriers Association:

“America’s trucking industry relies on a regulatory system that rewards safe and responsible operators. When bad actors evade enforcement and reenter the market through affiliated entities, both safety and fair competition are compromised. The SAFE Act will strengthen industry trust by promoting accountability, protecting responsible carriers, and preventing those with serious violations from gaining an unfair advantage. This legislation fosters a healthier freight marketplace where safety and compliance are prioritized, and shippers can have greater confidence in their carriers. Ultimately, these measures will benefit motor carriers, drivers, customers, and the public by reinforcing a safe and competitive trucking industry. We applaud Senator Young and Senator Kim’s commitment to advancing transportation safety and urge Congress to enact the SAFE Act without delay.”

Ryan Streblow, President and CEO, National Tank Truck Carriers:

“Every motor carrier should be held to the same standards for safety accountability. Chameleon carriers undermine that principle by exploiting loopholes to evade enforcement, endangering the motoring public while creating an unfair disadvantage for responsible and compliant carriers. The SAFE Act will strengthen FMCSA’s ability to identify these bad actors before they can return to our roads under a new identity. NTTC strongly supports this commonsense legislation and commends Senator Young and Senator Kim for their leadership in protecting the integrity of the trucking industry and improving highway safety.”

Shannon Everett, Founding Partner, American Truckers United Inc.:

“American Truckers United supports the introduction of Senators Young’s and Kim’s SAFE Act, which reinforces oversight within the USDOT registration process and enhances accountability measures for carriers seeking to obtain or retain a USDOT number.

Todd Spencer, President, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association:

“Chameleon carriers have undermined America’s highway safety and damaged the professionalism of the trucking industry by evading enforcement, dodging penalties, and reopening under new identities. Law-abiding small business truckers strongly support Senator Young and Senator Kim’s bipartisan SAFE Act. This legislation will help identify and weed out bad actors before they have the opportunity to ever become chameleon carriers, helping stop fraud before it occurs. OOIDA and our members applaud the introduction of this important bill in the Senate.”

Abby Godines, victim-volunteer with the Truck Safety Coalition:

“I lost three generations of family in a preventable truck crash caused by a chameleon carrier. It’s not a question of if, but when, these bad faith carriers will kill more people on our roads. The SAFE Act will save lives, and I am grateful for Senator Young and Senator Kim’s commitment to truck safety.”

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The Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act would:

• Require the Government Accountability Office to study the prevalence of chameleon carriers, the crashes and fatalities associated with them, and provide recommendations for strengthening enforcement.
• Direct FMCSA to develop, test, and implement an advanced automated tool that identifies applications exhibiting characteristics commonly associated with chameleon carriers, while ensuring final decisions remain with agency personnel.
• Improve information sharing among federal and state agencies to better detect fraudulent registration applications.
• Establish an appeals process for applicants incorrectly flagged by the system and require an audit of the tool’s effectiveness after implementation.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.