Senator Charles Schumer says there's a federal loophole that allows trucking companies that have been shut down or hit with safety violations to dissolve their company, then re-form under a new name.
He says these trucking companies are known as "chameleon carriers," and they re-emerge with the same drivers, equipment and safety issues.
Schumer says most truck drivers and trucking companies are safe, but there are a few bad apples that spoil the bunch.
He's pushing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to include individual drivers' safety records and company history in the screening process for new permits.
Schumer notes that while the vast majority of trucking companies and their drivers follow law and prioritize safety, it's critical a better system is in place to screen for "chameleon carriers."
He says a spate of tractor-trailer accidents in upstate New York as examples for the need to increase truck safety and eliminate "chameleon carriers" on New York State roads.
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a statement in response:
“We appreciate Sen. Schumer’s support of our aggressive efforts to combat chameleon carriers and Acting Administrator Darling will respond to him directly on the new rules and policies we are taking to keep these unsafe companies off the road.”