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Congress·In Committee·2 months ago

Congress seeks 10% cargo-value penalties for freight brokers that hire trucking firms with repeat safety violations

Also known as: Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impacts

Negative Impacts(2)
Small Business Owner
Hurts
Gig Worker
Hurts
Mixed Impacts(2)
Farmer Rancher
Neutral
Chronic Illness
Neutral
Positive Impacts(1)
Child Tax Credit
Helps

Key Points

  • Freight brokers could face a civil penalty if they hire a trucking company with a recent pattern of safety violations.
  • The penalty would equal 10% of the value of the cargo covered by the broker’s contract with that trucking company.
  • A trucking company would count as “unsafe” if, in the past 5 years, it had 3 or more Transportation Department violations, or it employs a driver with 3 or more such violations.
  • Money from these penalties would go into the Highway Trust Fund, and the Transportation Department could use it for safety-related road and infrastructure projects.
  • After a fatal crash involving a broker’s contracted carrier, federal truck-safety officials could investigate the broker and may impose extra operating requirements if the broker showed an extreme disregard for safety.
TransportationInfrastructureConsumer Protection

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Dec 18, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Dec 18, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Once the bill becomes law and DOT/FMCSA provides guidance on how the violation check will be applied

Freight brokers begin screening carriers and drivers more carefully for DOT violations

More vetting before loads are booked; some carriers may be avoided to reduce penalty risk, which can affect prices and delivery timing

After enactment, once enforcement begins

Civil penalties start being assessed for contracts with covered unsafe carriers

Brokers that use carriers meeting the 3-violation threshold could owe 10% of cargo value for the entire contract, creating strong pressure to change broker practices

After a fatal crash occurs involving a contracted carrier, and FMCSA opens a case

FMCSA investigates brokers after fatal crashes involving their contracted carriers

Brokers could face added scrutiny and possible extra operating requirements if found to have acted with egregious disregard for safety

Related News

6 articles
Overdrive·2 months ago

Bill would fine brokers 10% of any load hauled by an 'unsafe carrier'

Coverage of H.R. 6884 detailing the proposed 10% civil penalty for brokers contracting with carriers with 3+ DOT violations in 5 years and expanded FMCSA authority after fatal crashes.

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FreightWaves·2 months ago

New legislation could upend truck broker margins

Explains the Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act’s 10% penalty structure, operational impacts on brokers, and contrasts it with alternative broker “fitness” proposals.

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FreightWaves·2 months ago

The Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act: Good Hearts, Bad Outcomes

Opinion/analysis arguing the bill is well-intentioned but flawed in practice; discusses breadth of “DOT violations,” compliance burden, and enforcement uncertainty.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act

Bill NumberHR 6884
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.