“Americans deserve safe and reliable supply chains and roads,” Young said Feb. 26. (Ben Curtis/Associated Press)
March 4, 2026 4:25 PM, EST
Key Takeaways:
- Sen. Todd Young introduced the SAFER Transport Act to address rising cargo theft and strengthen federal oversight of commercial driver licensing.
- The bill targets growing fraud and compliance gaps in CDL issuance as cargo theft costs the industry over $18 million daily, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
- The legislation awaits committee consideration as related bipartisan cargo security proposals also move forward in the Senate.
Legislation aimed at addressing rising cargo theft and strengthening federal oversight of commercial driver licensing was recently introduced by a senior member of the Senate Commerce Committee.
Sponsored by Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), the Securing American Freight, Enforcement and Reliability in Transport Act responds to escalating criminal activity across the freight sector as well as cases of compliance failures in state-issued commercial driver licenses.
“Americans deserve safe and reliable supply chains and roads,” Young said Feb. 26. He is chairman of the Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines and Safety Subcommittee.
“The SAFER Transport Act,” Young added, “takes important steps to strengthen our transportation infrastructure, combat crime that is hurting U.S. consumers and businesses, and ensure our roads are safe for all Americans.”
Specifically, the legislation aims to enhance oversight of CDL issuance requirements. It would strengthen fraud detection and enforcement tools and would seek to close regulatory loopholes linked to foreign dispatch services. Penalties for fraudulent certifications would increase.
The legislation also addresses concerns associated with recent Department of Transportation findings about noncompliance in certain states regarding non-domiciled CDLs. DOT, led by Secretary Sean Duffy, identified examples in Illinois, California and New York.
The bill awaits consideration in a committee of jurisdiction.
SAFER Transport Act
Cargo theft, carried out by sophisticated domestic and international criminal organizations, consistently threatens the flow of freight nationwide. According to the American Transportation Research Institute, cargo theft costs the trucking industry more than $18 million daily.
American Trucking Associations, which has expressed its concerns to members of Congress, is among the groups backing the new Senate bill.
“Over 90% of trucking fleets operate 10 trucks or fewer, and each one embodies the American Dream. Motor carriers spend years building their reputations, but ruthless and sophisticated criminals are actively exploiting loopholes in USDOT’s registration process to steal their identities, capitalize on their good names and commit cargo theft,” ATA President Chris Spear said soon after the bill’s introduction.
He said small carriers are particularly vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes.
“Small businesses are not equipped to fight large-scale fraud on their own, which is why it is so critical to implement Sen. Young’s common-sense reforms that modernize USDOT’s systems to weed out chameleon carriers and enhance oversight and penalties,” Spear said. “We are grateful for his willingness to listen to the voices of hardworking truckers.”
Other transportation and logistics organizations endorsing the bill include Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Transportation Intermediaries Association, the Commercial Vehicle Training Association and the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
The Indiana Motor Truck Association said family-owned carriers are increasingly targeted by high-tech theft operations.
Patrick Brennan of Cox Fleet talks about the common missteps that fleets make in planning for future maintenance and operational needs. Tune in above or by going to RoadSigns.ttnews.com.
“Identity theft and cargo heists have become an epidemic,” said Indiana Motor Truck Association president Gary Langston, calling the bill a long-overdue update to outdated federal systems. “These reforms will protect Indiana trucking fleets and the hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers they employ.”
Cargo theft has been a focus for Congress during the current Trump administration.
Young’s Commerce Committee colleagues recently introduced the bipartisan Cargo Security Innovation Act. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), would enhance agencies’ access to state-of-the-art technology for protecting against cargo theft.
“Cargo theft is a pressing issue impacting businesses in Tennessee, and we need to shut down these organized crime groups that steal essential goods from Tennesseans to traffic drugs and weapons,” Blackburn said in December.
Her Democratic co-sponsor likewise emphasized the bill’s supply chain implications.
“Cargo theft significantly impacts the supply chain, harming American businesses and consumers, especially food shippers,” Klobuchar said. “When criminals break into shipments, businesses are forced to return containers and dispose of compromised products.”
Their bill also awaits consideration in the chamber.
