Bill > HR8267

This bill, titled the "Securing American Freight, Enforcement, and Reliability in Transport Act" or "SAFER Transport Act," aims to combat freight fraud and theft by establishing a Freight Fraud and Theft Advisory Committee composed of various stakeholders to provide recommendations to the Department of Transportation (DOT) on reducing such crimes. It also mandates a memorandum of understanding between the DOT and the Department of Justice to improve information sharing regarding identified freight fraud and theft. A significant provision is the transition away from "MC numbers," which are motor carrier docket numbers, towards exclusively using "USDOT numbers" (unique identifiers issued by the DOT) for motor carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders within five years, with measures to secure the DOT's registration system and prevent fraudulent activity. The bill also strengthens state licensing for commercial drivers by requiring verification of work authorization for non-citizens and mandates monthly reporting on commercial driver's licenses. Furthermore, it enhances the training provider registry for commercial drivers by implementing audits, establishing processes for expedited removal of non-compliant providers, and requiring providers to register a principal place of business. The legislation also addresses enforcement of cabotage laws, which restrict foreign motor carriers and unauthorized alien drivers from providing point-to-point transportation services within the U.S., and introduces criminal penalties for submitting fraudulent certifications to the DOT. Finally, it clarifies the definition of a "broker" and requires foreign dispatch services to register as brokers, while also updating record maintenance requirements for carriers and brokers.