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Rep. Hageman calls for stricter CDL English standards, new tools to target 'chameleon carriers'
Summary
Representative Harriet Hageman urged the THUD subcommittee to preserve English-proficiency enforcement for commercial drivers, described ‘chameleon carriers’ that evade penalties, and said she introduced H.R. 7539 to create automated vetting tools and sought funding for FMCSA modernization.
Representative Harriet Hageman (Representative Harriet Hageman) used her member-day time before the THUD subcommittee to press for trucking and roadway safety measures she said are critical to Wyoming and rural freight corridors.
Hageman cited state data on truck-involved crashes and told the panel that the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) "must be limited to individuals who are properly vetted, trained and prepared to react and respond in high risk situations." She said English proficiency is essential because variable message signs and other safety communications require drivers to read and understand instructions.
She also warned about “chameleon carriers,” which she described as high‑risk trucking companies that shut down and reopen under different names, ownerships or DOT registrations to evade enforcement. Hageman said a recent deadly crash in Indiana was linked to that kind of coordinated network and said her bill, H.R. 7539, the Safety and Accountability and Enforcement Act, would mandate creation of an advanced automation tool to improve DOT vetting for carrier registration and detect bad actors.
Hageman urged the subcommittee to adequately fund Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration efforts to modernize registration systems and to continue prioritizing rural air service through FAA programs.
Her written testimony was submitted for the record; the subcommittee did not vote on any of her requests during the session.
