[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6274822,"mediaKeyId","2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76","parentId",2778687,"title","Small carriers and members press Congress to act on freight fraud; lawmakers point to household goods consumer protection bill","audioSeconds",7051,"startMs",1745000,"endMs",8796000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76&start=1745&end=8796","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76/thumbnail_1745000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6274822/Small-carriers-and-members-press-Congress-to-act-on-freight-fraud-lawmakers-point-to-household-goods-consumer-protection-bill","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274822-f0159a3ef8c14843807dbdba7c2f1cf5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770449901&Signature=R0YeX5hilB3L3YkMC3mrFthi0LCCa3lIsRZpxxiT7wjw51YRmYUghdxx9yP7CD3gVbfwoggxrNMTQ7OqhC-EKY~onxHeSL-njmsjYOuypXHXK0QXkOxAtrRVkiKkyIhxsvKtHbJY-YWPiFeUpcl0FTwAXMo1GzCfehJZUc3It~07ak1-zxT7-q2ZAxszLHyyg9uhEsZctiGIuNsqKBBaG0X7qA3YPUhPvaH9uM-6WN1mTWDCw2EVn~cP3IrRheSdZUvR8XiMsIzyoThfL858wUDPuWIjYFrt0wRqCEk7vSV~OGJTNYYYlxFjVzpnO9joO7L1b83tidxWI2jTCDVtxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure","date","2025-03-26T19:01:12.667Z","article","At the House subcommittee hearing, witnesses described a surge in freight fraud and identity theft affecting brokers, carriers and drivers and urged Congress to provide FMCSA with stronger enforcement tools and clearer disclosure requirements.

Mr. Pew and other witnesses cited incidents where broker or carrier identities were stolen, loads were tendered fraudulently, and drivers delivered freight without pay. \"We need to get [the household goods bill] passed because it'll require brokers to have a physical address,\" Mr. Pew said, arguing the change would help investigators and civil enforcement. He also urged improvements to the National Consumer Complaint Database so complaints are tracked and acted upon.

Ranking Member Norton earlier told the committee she had introduced a bipartisan Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act with Representative Mike Ezell designed to clarify FMCSA authority over fraudulent brokers and to give the agency additional tools to stop consumer and carrier fraud. Several members said they would press for the bill's language or similar provisions during reauthorization.

Panelists recommended a combination of statutory fixes, increased interagency enforcement and better industry best practices to deter fraud. No formal action was taken at the hearing; members said they expect to consider legislative language to strengthen broker transparency and FMCSA enforcement in the reauthorization process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","America Builds: How Trucking Supports American Communities","oneSentenceSummary","Witnesses reported rising freight and broker fraud since the pandemic and urged passage of bills that would give FMCSA stronger enforcement tools and require brokers to maintain verifiable contact information.","taxTitle","Transportation and Infrastructure: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1827,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6274825,"Trucking witnesses press Congress to permit wider use of hair‑follicle testing and to address marijuana impairment and the clearinghouse gap",293,2149000,2442000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76&start=2149&end=2442","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76/thumbnail_2149000.jpg","/articles/6274825/Trucking-witnesses-press-Congress-to-permit-wider-use-of-hairfollicle-testing-and-to-address-marijuana-impairment-and-the-clearinghouse-gap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274825-6f7ce5555f6ced45af9659ffcebe46b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770449902&Signature=GMFBce-O0fCN~yRMj7T7c7PXr~VYPq0Fk7yb0dAPaEBeewaRkmxoAIW8QBS1Myg2K9C-MibjdJexaE~YvdF7PgsgNxVYeu3AzhOqEEdnZUPdqGWkn3NXIpNodKa3QyMExORsHMbuVGO3h96JIGYJQqaNPEUERvyjtIo8slnNTTc38Tg3luR7R-c1xFVReh-CYdOuf7RbjyOQPy4mqET1Epx1LbZgfd7WafxEmsoF6kkjwg7CylXxCYmnG2W7CwQhFTWNXlDA7hwks~7YanTqMPxsQM8SXbcAb0S0gOWloQF~DWkTEcJIrz54KVCDnOXhavyRxlBEHwyuldQORU31qQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Industry witnesses told the House subcommittee that current drug‑testing rules limit carriers’ ability to detect drug use and to report positive hair‑follicle tests to the National Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

John Elliott, testifying for the Truckload Carriers Association, described a multi‑carrier study and urged legislative or regulatory fixes to allow hair‑follicle testing and Clearinghouse reporting. \"Hair follicle testing detects drug use 11 times more effectively than urine,\" Elliott said during his testimony, and he cited carrier screening data in which thousands more positives were detected by hair tests than by urine tests. Elliott said carriers were unable to submit hair‑test results to the Clearinghouse, allowing drivers who failed hair tests to seek work elsewhere under current urine‑based reporting rules.

Members raised the impact of state marijuana legalization and the difficulty of real‑time impairment testing; witnesses said a roadside, breathalyzer‑style test for cannabis does not yet exist and urged accelerated development of impairment diagnostics so enforcement can focus on real‑time impairment rather than the presence of a metabolite days or weeks later.

The subcommittee did not adopt changes at the hearing. Witnesses and members asked FMCSA and DOT to review testing rules and data sharing with the Clearinghouse as part of reauthorization and related oversight work.","The Truckload Carriers Association and other witnesses urged Congress to allow hair‑follicle drug testing, citing data showing higher detection rates than urine testing and gaps in reporting to the national Clearinghouse.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6274826,"Lawmakers and unions urge stronger training, pay and parking to retain truck drivers",6211,1683000,7894000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76&start=1683&end=7894","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76/thumbnail_1683000.jpg","/articles/6274826/Lawmakers-and-unions-urge-stronger-training-pay-and-parking-to-retain-truck-drivers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274826-c839abdfe6347a0d479a64b03d013aa0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770449902&Signature=TN10AMa3w4dwzPoX0EBtpBytUWS8ToNUsRN8vNg~4isxkiCAKmTqm5swNdx1H~6bjzQMFaXsPkZnTgFM1fadrOD-I2BiyhBUIQlSgQuLiqvVujPrV1d1G61O4~Wmn5sw7cRC3AwWR-Bk1FlmucS1cbX0kdNxss1UKQP5WvKRYSWPqenyHr2WI7vPBVrCCqDv5GJQJ~6gQncUb3Wji16ep7v9jOrGlrKipiQerqUCpgnPlRaFYJJWmulscZ2xwdzcy09kg6YY8FQcFwsTQguzq1n8Ugx8WllxiqKm-8FYa~WrDZDGSubYMLUVITBQtazCGghLSHgCMuuKYzuVspbSHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the House subcommittee and witnesses at the hearing said recruiting and retaining qualified truck drivers will require better training, improved pay and safer working conditions, including parking and restroom access.

Several witnesses urged expansion of the Registered Apprenticeship and the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Program enacted under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring younger drivers into the workforce with supervised experience across state lines. The Teamsters and other unions highlighted their CDL training schools as models that connect graduates to work and keep turnover low.

Cole Scandalia, representing the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, described the Teamsters’ training approach and its results: \"Across the country, we operate first in their class CDL training schools at low to little cost for students. We believe that Teamsters program offers a model CDL training,\" Scandalia said, and urged the subcommittee to work with union training centers on federal standards.

Witnesses also emphasized retention issues tied to compensation and working conditions. Mr. Pew, a small‑business trucker representative, said pay remains a central problem: \"The number 1 thing would be start paying truckers,\" he said, noting unpaid waiting time at shippers, extended hours and high turnover in some segments.

Members and witnesses listed immediate priorities for the reauthorization: requiring stronger, verifiable behind‑the‑wheel training hours, expanding apprenticeship pathways with clear linkages to jobs, and funding truck parking and amenities to make long‑haul careers sustainable. Several panelists called for federal incentives that connect high‑quality training programs to hiring and to veteran and second‑chance hiring initiatives.

The subcommittee did not vote on any training mandates at the hearing but signaled interest in incorporating apprenticeship and training standards into surface reauthorization language.","Witnesses urged Congress to expand high‑quality training, apprenticeship programs and pay reforms while addressing parking and safety to reduce turnover in the trucking workforce.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6274828,"Subcommittee divided over proposed pilot to raise interstate truck gross vehicle weight to 91,000 pounds",4386,2739000,7125000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76&start=2739&end=7125","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76/thumbnail_2739000.jpg","/articles/6274828/Subcommittee-divided-over-proposed-pilot-to-raise-interstate-truck-gross-vehicle-weight-to-91000-pounds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274828-49e9878094d80a8e98bf8711c5060bf4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770449902&Signature=WWkjtfr4y3pAKBoa1BQNu-ZzWNF2IxrUHbRX9XVwQHeewu7erZ~V6SQkQv0w1Kau0DJxSa3iuEDN1mikj-8otr8mlhlL3kIlZe~rAXJ6FS~dfDJOqiRJiZSRdoULkTSYjH7J-6LYCMgiyAiQw2D5zu7zkaqyPClgW0SFbpfuagT5iJMAQbxewj8SMcX5dlsXpAqbbsahlveu1hmQytmSlGz5Ap7oLQHBkij8gzwLAvGzICsa8brgCxMqNAJC5BBx68L9C9IEE6nCdzab6ha6eNzCB2x53kXpkxCvOujDcjOqg~SdQ4juPVcXnKOZgWSnGaov6jB399AEVT~cnou46A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A proposal to pilot raising interstate gross vehicle weight limits to 91,000 pounds, with a required sixth axle, drew support from shippers and opposition from unions and small‑carrier groups at the House subcommittee hearing.

Proponents said a narrow, state opt‑in pilot would reduce trips and emissions by allowing fuller loads on properly configured tractors and trailers. Opponents said heavier loads would exacerbate crash severity, harm infrastructure and impose costly equipment upgrades on small carriers.

Ryan Lindsey, Executive Vice President of CRH, testifying for the Shippers Coalition, told the panel that a limited interstate pilot would increase efficiency while protecting the public. \"With an increase in GVW, we would see these trucks still closer to capacity, meaning fewer vehicles on the road, fewer trips to accomplish the same task and ultimately fewer miles in the system,\" Lindsey said. He described the proposal as opt‑in for states and said it would require an extra axle and bridge‑formula weight distribution to address roadway safety.

Opponents framed the proposal as a safety and equity risk. Cole Scandalia, representing the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said heavier and longer vehicles \"threaten safety, increase wear and tear on our nation's roads, and add unnecessary operational difficulties for our drivers,\" and urged the subcommittee to reject size and weight increases. Louie Pugh of OIDA warned that drivers oppose the changes and that such policies would pressure elected officials to grant carve‑outs for specific industries.

Committee members exchanged data and contested studies during the question period. Supporters pointed to Canadian experience and data they said showed modest safety tradeoffs when additional axles and bridge‑formula rules are used; opponents cited Department of Transportation studies and higher brake or out‑of‑service violation rates for heavier combinations.

No vote was taken. Several members said the proposal — described by supporters as a narrowly tailored, interstate‑only, state opt‑in pilot — will remain under review as staff draft reauthorization language and collect further engineering and safety data.","Shippers pressed for a pilot to increase GVW to 91,000 pounds with a sixth axle and opt-in state participation; unions and many driver groups warned of safety risks and small‑business impacts.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6274829,"Lawmakers, truckers tell House subcommittee to expand truck parking and restroom access to reduce fatigue and crashes",7478,2045000,9523000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76&start=2045&end=9523","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2778687-bc2b30a06744a8b2731ae57ec27a4a76/thumbnail_2045000.jpg","/articles/6274829/Lawmakers-truckers-tell-House-subcommittee-to-expand-truck-parking-and-restroom-access-to-reduce-fatigue-and-crashes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274829-eed2f73667f1f09b8cbaafb2840ceaca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770449902&Signature=hHjRk0phARHKDiwBJPS1l91~Ik5PR17AtztambFT0vhOAio2RG7D9yILCNClxWvTlQF8zqFWKZQ3xQV9f5XrrDGuOT8-tEv33WsapkgB8rjyh~rUeouScXr2mYxs8ilgtnEG3bIJlaf5l1ONoyBIVNuEhoXr0uKf4Zw3iJg~qZL82jMpcstbWRT-od1lZQlwM2WOkAyAN0kJm3IxFgVRKqOEnZhZ7SCk~~SE5UYFDuQ84jciUvDqNm8K4roIx0ldfJ9PPhAcrqIakiiwITFgdwJL-NrHZWNYgD2iQGvg0RrIjI~CCOXSFf7-mURBm~y3PqkoxK~hsJsWvFUNofH7Sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, witnesses and members urged Congress to expand safe truck parking and pass legislation guaranteeing restroom access for drivers, saying shortages contribute to hours-of-service violations and safety hazards.

The issue is central to the subcommittee’s work on surface transportation reauthorization because truck drivers’ ability to find safe places to rest affects compliance with federal hours-of-service rules and roadway safety for all motorists.

Louie Pugh, Executive Vice President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, told the panel that parking shortfalls leave drivers with unsafe choices. \"We're at a place in this country where there's 1 safe spot for every 11 trucks,\" Pugh said, adding that drivers often must choose between breaking hours rules or parking in hazardous locations. The shortage is an operational and public-safety problem, he said.

Representatives of small-business drivers made similar points. \"A good night's rest for an American trucker is probably the number 1 thing we can do just for safety right off the get go,\" said Mr. Pew, a small-business trucker representative who testified alongside trade groups. Members and witnesses urged inclusion of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act (H.R. 1659) in the reauthorization package; supporters said targeted federal grants would leverage state and private action to increase spaces.

Witnesses also pressed for passage of the Trucker Bathroom Access Act and related measures that would increase restroom access at shipping and receiving facilities. Supporters said restroom access and parking are closely related safety issues because drivers wind up delaying rest or breaking rules when they cannot reach basic facilities.

Witnesses and members stressed practical steps: direct federal funding for dedicated truck parking, incentives to reopen or repurpose rest areas, and stronger permitting or zoning guidance so warehouses and distribution centers include parking in new construction. Several members said the subcommittee should pair any funding increase with reporting requirements so states and localities track how dollars expand usable parking capacity.

The subcommittee made no formal votes in the hearing. Members said these issues will be considered as staff draft provisions for the multi-year surface transportation reauthorization bill.","Witnesses and members urged Congress to fund more safe truck parking and pass bipartisan bills to guarantee restroom access, saying shortages force drivers into unsafe parking and hours-of-service violations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Small carriers and members press Congress to act on freight fraud; lawmakers point to household goods consumer protection bill

Trucking witnesses press Congress to permit wider use of hair‑follicle testing and to address marijuana impairment and the clearinghouse gap

Lawmakers and unions urge stronger training, pay and parking to retain truck drivers

Subcommittee divided over proposed pilot to raise interstate truck gross vehicle weight to 91,000 pounds

Lawmakers, truckers tell House subcommittee to expand truck parking and restroom access to reduce fatigue and crashes