Moving the Needle on Fraud: TIA Policy Forum Recap

October 9, 2024 / By admin / Drivers • Shipping • Transport • Trucking / 0 Comments

By Mark Fiorini, President of Westgate Global Logistics

I was privileged to represent Westgate and other TIA members as we gathered in Washington, D.C. at the Annual Policy Forum. We participated in an important day of meetings where we met with members of Congress and their staff to ask for help with ongoing issues and concerns, while offering alternative suggestions for improvement.
It was a successful effort in obtaining co-sponsors for H.R. 8505, which will be a huge step in the right direction toward the continued fight against fraud in our supply chain.

H.R. 8505, also known as the “Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act” would restore and codify the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s authority to issue civil penalties against scammers. This legislation supported by TIA tackles the issue of freight fraud head-on.

The three primary provisions are:

• Restores the FMCSA’s authority to assess civil penalties for violations of unauthorized brokerage activities.
• Enforces the existing regulations of the principal place of business and barring companies from using P.O. Boxes or other locations where the business is not physically domiciled.
• Requires the FMCSA to examine the commonality of companies that are registering for authority.

Fraud was just one of the key issues we discussed with Representatives. Fraud within the freight world continues to grow rapidly each day, making us vulnerable to the risk of financial loss, theft, a damaged reputation, or worse…the loss of a customer. In my opinion, combatting fraud in our industry is the most important topic.

Ways to Advocate For Our Industry

You can ask your representatives to co-sponsor HR8505. TIA has a form to help you send a message to your representative: LINK

Being an active member of Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) has been a vital way to advocate for my business and our industry. If we aren’t the ones lobbying for the 3PL industry, who is? All of us work hard every day to provide great service to our customers, while attempting to build new customer relationships with the goal of establishing a reputation that will provide success for years to come. TIA sets the ethical standards for the 3PL industry, represents our interests before government bodies, and advocates for regulations that promote fair competition, safety, and efficiency in the transportation sector. I would highly recommend joining the TIA if you haven’t already or contributing to their PAC that raises funds to help build relationships with Members of Congress who can support our goals and initiatives.

The experience at the Annual Policy Forum was well worth the trip. Besides the amazing sites and tremendous history of our Nation’s Capitol…witnessing first hand how our government operates is invaluable. I look forward to participating again next year.