The Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act would penalize freight brokers who hire unsafe trucking companies to haul cargo. Under this bill, brokers who contract with carriers that have received three or more Department of Transportation violations in the past five years—or who employ drivers with three or more violations—would face a civil penalty equal to 10 percent of the cargo value for that contract. The legislation also authorizes the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to investigate freight brokers after fatal crashes involving their contracted carriers and to impose additional safety requirements if a broker is found to have shown "egregious disregard for safety." Any penalties collected would be deposited into the Highway Trust Fund and used for roadway safety projects. The bill aims to incentivize brokers to better screen the transportation companies they work with to improve overall trucking safety.
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