Washington – Today, the American Trucking Associations applauded Senator Todd Young (R-IN) for introducing legislation to reduce freight fraud and theft, strengthen regulatory oversight, prevent unlawful operations, and enhance enforcement across the commercial motor carrier industry.
The Securing American Freight, Enforcement, and Reliability in Transport (SAFER Transport) Act represents a direct response to issues that were raised during a Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing that Senator Young chaired last year on rising incidents of cargo theft. Testifying on behalf of ATA, an owner of a trucking small business described how his company’s identity was stolen by technologically advanced criminals, who used that information to divert and steal loads. The con artists took advantage of weaknesses in FMCSA’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System to perpetrate their…
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.