Congress headed into the August recess with a necessary win for the trucking industry — and everyone who depends on safe and reliable highways
Just before lawmakers left Washington, Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced the Senate companion to the SAFE Act, representing an important step forward for legislation aimed at cracking down on “chameleon carriers.”
Chameleon carriers are trucking companies that evade enforcement actions, fines or out-of-service orders by shutting down and reemerging under a new identity. The SAFE Act takes direct aim at these bad actors by requiring the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to develop and deploy an advanced automated screening tool to identify and flag DOT number applications that show characteristics commonly associated with chameleon carriers.
Effective Enforcement
By improving the FMCSA’s ability to detect fraudulent applicants before they enter the marketplace, the legislation would help the agency enforce existing laws more effectively, strengthen accountability throughout the trucking industry, and reduce the burden on already stretched federal resources.
Importantly, the bill also protects legitimate businesses by establishing an adjudication process for applicants denied a DOT number by the screening system, ensuring transparency and due process.
The SAFE Act would further enhance coordination between federal and state agencies, improve information sharing, and help regulators find potential warning signs before unsafe operators put the public at risk.
Oversight Provisions
The legislation also includes strong oversight provisions. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) would be required to conduct an updated nationwide study examining the scope and impact of chameleon carriers, helping policymakers better understand the magnitude of the problem. In addition, the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General would conduct an audit two years after the screening tool is implemented to evaluate its effectiveness and ensure it is meeting its intended goals.
Gaining Momentum
Momentum for the SAFE Act has been building in the House as well. Reps. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), a co-chair of the Congressional Trucking Caucus and longtime member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Julia Brownley (D-CA) have led the bipartisan effort to advance the legislation.
The SAFE Act achieved an important milestone when it was successfully adopted by voice vote as an amendment to the House surface transportation reauthorization package, the Build America 250 Act.
Bipartisan Support
The amendment’s adoption illustrated the broad bipartisan support behind the measure. Notably, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) was an outspoken advocate for the legislation throughout the committee process, emphasizing the need to remove bad actors from the industry while advancing safer highways and a level playing field for responsible motor carriers.
With the Senate companion now officially introduced, prospects for the SAFE Act have never looked stronger.
TCA is hopeful that the legislation will be included in the Senate’s version of the Build America 250 Act, which would provide the clearest and most effective path to enactment. If that happens, the trucking industry could be one step closer to finally closing the loopholes that allow chameleon carriers to continue operating and putting motorists at risk.
This article first appeared in the September/October 2026 print edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.
Hailey Betham serves as the manager of government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), where she leads the association’s federal and state legislative and regulatory efforts. In this role, Hailey is responsible for interpreting and communicating critical trucking-related regulations — including safety, labor and environmental policies — to TCA’s membership and congressional stakeholders on Capitol Hill.
Hailey regularly drafts and submits public comments on federal rulemakings, ensuring the voice of the truckload industry is heard and reflected in policy decisions. She also serves as the staff liaison on all matters related to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and other key federal agencies. A core focus of her work is on independent contractor (IC) policy, an area she has consistently championed throughout her career.
Hailey’s work is rooted in her experience engaging with local, state and national communities. She has used her experiences and community engagement as her backbone to push legislative goals at the state and federal levels. Because of this, she has well-rounded expertise in grassroots organizing, PAC fundraising, political campaigns and lobbying at the state and federal levels.
She describes herself as a compassionate, assertive and determined individual who thrives off the energy of others.
Hailey earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Cabrini University. Hailey is married to her husband, Michael, whose family has deep roots in the trucking industry. Together, they have two happy kids, Reagan and Reid. Outside of work, you can find Hailey hiking, reading a good book or just spending time with her family.
