The Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement Act directs federal agencies to combat "chameleon carriers"—trucking companies that evade safety regulations by creating new business identities to avoid enforcement actions, penalties, or negative safety records. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to complete a comprehensive study within one year documenting the prevalence of chameleon carriers, their methods of evasion, fatalities and injuries they cause, and gaps in current enforcement capabilities. Simultaneously, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration must develop and implement an advanced automated detection tool within one year to identify suspicious carrier applications by analyzing characteristics like ownership changes, address similarities, equipment continuity, and insurance lapses. The tool will flag problematic applications for human review (not make final decisions), and applicants denied registration can appeal within 30 days to correct their applications, with redetermination required within 30 days. The Transportation Department Inspector General will audit the tool's effectiveness two years after implementation and report results to Congress, including data on flagged applications and any reduction in severe crashes caused by chameleon carriers.
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