Sponsors (4)
The bill increases fairness, transparency, and legal certainty for drivers and carriers by adding notice, contested labeling, and independent appeals, but does so at the cost of added administrative burden, implementation strain, and potential short‑term delays that could affect enforcement and road safety.
Transportation workers and motor carriers will receive advance notice before adverse actions and contested violations will be labeled as 'contested' while under review, letting drivers and employers respond and preventing premature job loss or public/ employer judgments.
Operators and carriers gain clearer, fairer appeals: the bill provides a reasonable period to appeal and an independent appeals pathway so decisions can be reviewed by someone other than the original inspector, improving procedural fairness and reducing risk of wrongful sanctions.
The bill standardizes and clarifies use of MCMIS/DataQs reports and restructures statutory language, increasing transparency, legal certainty, and consistent handling of contested data across States that receive federal funds.
Requiring notice and allowing appeals can delay safety‑related actions (removal or remediation of unsafe operators), which could temporarily increase public safety risk on roads.
Managing notices, contested labels, appeals, and related system changes will raise administrative burdens and costs for carriers, state agencies, and regulators, with taxpayers potentially bearing some of those costs.
The 1‑year deadlines for implementing changes could strain DOT and State resources, risking rushed or incomplete IT integrations and uneven execution across States.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Conditions adverse actions based on FMCSA MCMIS data on notice and a reasonable appeal period; requires contested violations to be labeled and states to provide appeals.
Introduced January 27, 2026 by Tracey Mann · Last progress January 27, 2026
Makes changes to how Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) safety-report data can be used in hiring and discipline. It bars adverse employment actions based solely or in part on Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) safety-history reports unless the individual is given required notice and a reasonable opportunity to initiate and complete an appeal. It also requires contested safety violations to be clearly labeled in FMCSA systems and directs the Department of Transportation to issue guidelines so states that receive federal motor-carrier safety grant funds provide an appeals process with independent review. Requires the Department to complete these system and process changes within one year of enactment, and clarifies that use of the MCMIS safety-history reports is voluntary except as otherwise provided.