Washington — Bipartisan legislation recently reintroduced in the House is intended to expand trucking companies’ access to driver safety records – and also make it easier for drivers to challenge inaccurate data.
Reps. Tracey Mann (R-KS) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) reintroduced the Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act (H.R. 7261) on Jan. 27. A press release from the lawmakers states that the bill would:
- Allow motor carriers to continuously review safety records from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Pre-Employment Screening Program for prospective and current drivers.
- Enable carriers to identify safety issues earlier and provide ongoing professional development.
- Require driver consent for record access and preserve protections under the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970.
- Ensure data challenges are adjudicated by someone other than the original issuing officer.
FMCSA unveiled PSP in 2010 to “help motor carriers review drivers’ crash and inspection records.” The program provides motor carriers with five years of crash history and three years of roadside inspection history.
According to data from FMCSA, carriers that use PSP have 8% lower crash rates and 17% lower out-of-service rates. However, the release notes that motor carriers can’t access records after a driver is hired.
“This commonsense legislation makes our roadways safer, gives trucking companies the tools they need to strengthen driver training and safety programs, and improves the efficiency of our supply chain,” Mann said in the release. “By cutting unnecessary red tape and ensuring accuracy in driver safety records, we can better support both our nation’s truckers and the businesses that rely on them every day.”
Multiple organizations support the bill, including the American Trucking Associations, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and National Safety Council, the release states.
Alex Rosen, senior vice president of legislative affairs at ATA, said in the release that the legislation would “empower motor carriers to conduct regular audits of their drivers’ safety records.”
Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) introduced a similar bill in the House in May 2023.
