HB8267, the “Securing American Freight, Enforcement, and Reliability in Transport Act” or “SAFER Transport Act,” is a broad freight-security and trucking-regulation bill aimed at reducing freight fraud, cargo theft, and related transportation scams. It would direct the Department of Transportation to create a Freight Fraud and Theft Advisory Committee, require a memorandum of understanding between DOT and DOJ on sharing freight-fraud information, and establish new fraud-detection tools and review procedures within the federal motor carrier registration system. The bill also requires DOT and Customs and Border Protection to coordinate on cabotage violations and would create a criminal penalty for knowingly using fraudulent certifications to obtain transportation authority and then engaging in unlawful interstate transportation.
A major portion of the bill restructures federal trucking and broker registration rules. It phases out MC numbers over five years and moves the industry toward exclusive use of USDOT numbers as the unique identifier for motor carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders. It also expands DOT’s ability to withhold, suspend, or revoke registrations for entities convicted of certain “covered felonies,” requires notice of ownership changes, and mandates completion of the Unified Carrier Registration System requirements. The bill further tightens oversight of commercial driver’s licenses and training providers by requiring monthly state CDL reports, work-authorization checks for certain noncitizen CDL applicants, audits of training providers, principal-place-of-business registration, and faster removal of fraudulent or noncompliant providers from the training registry.
The bill would also amend the definition of “broker,” create a new category of “foreign dispatch service” that must register as a broker, and require records to be maintained at a carrier’s or broker’s principal place of business. In addition, it would prohibit certain foreign-domiciled or foreign-controlled motor carriers from point-to-point domestic cargo transport in the United States, and it would bar unauthorized-alien drivers from such domestic transport. These provisions would alter multiple sections of title 49 of the U.S. Code and make conforming changes to related transportation statutes and implementation laws.
The general sentiment reflected in the bill text is strongly enforcement-oriented and security-focused, with an emphasis on fraud prevention, supply-chain integrity, and stricter federal and state oversight of trucking and brokerage activity. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to gauge beyond the bill’s structure and stated purpose. The measure appears designed to respond to concerns from shippers, carriers, law enforcement, insurers, and regulators about cargo theft, fake registrations, and illicit brokerage practices.
The main points of contention likely center on the bill’s expanded federal oversight, immigration-related licensing and driving restrictions, and the phaseout of MC numbers. Industry stakeholders such as motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and training providers may object to compliance costs, new reporting burdens, and the risk of registration suspension or revocation, while law enforcement and shipper interests may support the tougher anti-fraud and anti-theft measures. The foreign-cargo and work-authorization provisions may also be controversial because they directly affect cross-border trucking, noncitizen drivers, and state CDL administration.
The bill would significantly amend title 49 of the United States Code, especially the chapters governing motor carrier registration, broker authority, freight forwarders, commercial driver licensing, and transportation safety enforcement. It would create new federal duties for DOT, FMCSA, DOJ, and CBP; add new reporting, audit, and coordination requirements; and authorize new registration denials, suspensions, revocations, and criminal penalties. It would also require states to change CDL issuance and reporting practices, and it would impose new compliance obligations on carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, training providers, and certain foreign-linked transportation operators.
The bill’s overall tone is assertive and punitive toward freight fraud, cargo theft, and improper transportation practices, suggesting strong support for enforcement and supply-chain security. With no recorded votes or committee debate provided, there is no direct evidence of bipartisan support or opposition in the available materials. Based on the text alone, the bill appears to appeal to stakeholders concerned with theft prevention and regulatory integrity, while likely drawing resistance from affected transportation and brokerage interests because of the added restrictions and oversight.
Likely areas of contention include the elimination of MC numbers in favor of USDOT numbers, the expanded authority to deny or revoke registrations based on certain felony convictions, and the new fraud-screening and suspension powers over registration-system users. The bill’s immigration and cross-border provisions—especially the work-authorization checks for CDL applicants, monthly state reporting on non-domiciled licenses, and restrictions on foreign-domiciled or foreign-controlled carriers and unauthorized-alien drivers—are likely to be especially controversial. Training providers and brokers may also object to the new registry audits, principal-place-of-business requirements, and expedited removal procedures.