WASHINGTON — Trucking companies should be better protected against unpaid claims that are due them from brokers under a new rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The rule, proposed earlier this year and made final on Wednesday, amends regulations addressing broker and freight forwarder responsibility.
“This final rule will result in benefits to motor carriers resulting from a decrease in the claims against brokers that go unpaid,” FMCSA stated.
“FMCSA will immediately suspend brokers that do not respond following a drawdown on their financial security. Such brokers will no longer be able to accrue liabilities that they do not plan, or lack the ability, to pay.”
The rule becomes effective Jan. 16, 2024.
The agency is tightening oversight in five areas of broker financial responsibility as well as consequences for noncompliance: assets readily available, immediate suspension of broker/freight forwarder operating authority, surety or trust responsibilities in cases of broker/freight forwarder financial failure or insolvency, enforcement authority, and entities eligible to provide trust funds for broker trust fund filings known as form BMC-85.
Assets readily available
The final rule says that cash, irrevocable letters of credit issued by a federally insured depository institution and Treasury bonds are acceptable categories of assets readily available in broker/freight forwarder trust funds from which to pay claims to carriers.
“FMCSA has determined that these asset types are readily available because they are stable in value and can be easily liquidated within 7 calendar days of an event that triggers a payment from the trust,” according to the agency.
“Other asset classes such as real estate are not sufficiently liquid, while stocks, non-Treasury bonds, and other securities involve significant risk to the investor, and therefore none of these asset classes can be considered readily available.”
Compliance date for this provision: Jan. 16, 2026.
Immediate suspension of broker operating authority
When a broker or freight forwarder’s available financial security falls below $75,000, FMCSA may suspend its operating authority registration.
The agency explained that a broker or freight forwarder’s available financial security may fall below $75,000 because it consents to a drawdown, or if it does not respond to a valid notice of claim from a surety or trust provider, or if a claim against the broker or freight forwarder is converted to a judgment.
“If the available financial security falls below $75,000 and the broker or freight forwarder does not replenish funds within 7 calendar days after notice from FMCSA, the agency will issue a notification of suspension of operating authority to the broker or freight forwarder.”
In response to comments filed in the proposed rule, FMCSA added provisions detailing the process for surety providers or financial institutions to notify the agency of changes to a broker’s or freight forwarder’s financial security status.
“Such notification must be made in writing, by electronic means, within two business days of either a payment from the bond or trust that causes the available financial security to fall below $75,000 or a determination by the surety provider or financial institution that such payment will be inevitable once the 60-day period for submission of claims has elapsed.”
Compliance date for this provision: Jan. 16, 2025.
Surety/trust responsibilities in broker failure or insolvency
Surety providers or financial institutions may cite financial failure or insolvency of the broker or freight forwarder as grounds for canceling a surety bond or BMC-85 trust agreement when the provider or institution either makes a payment against the bond or trust fund or expects to make a payment after aggregating multiple claims.
In the new rule, FMCSA defines financial failure or insolvency as “any payment made or other default pursuant to … the regulatory provision that addresses the situations under which a broker or freight forwarder’s operating authority may be immediately suspended, which the broker or freight forwarder does not cure” in accordance with the rules.
If the surety/trustee becomes aware that a broker or freight forwarder is experiencing financial failure or insolvency, it must notify FMCSA and initiate cancellation of the financial responsibility, and FMCSA will publish a notice of failure.
Compliance date for this provision: Jan. 16, 2025.
Enforcement authority
In suspension circumstances identified by FMCSA, the agency will first provide notice of the suspension to the surety/trust fund provider followed by 30 calendar days for the surety or trust fund provider to respond before a final agency decision is issued. The agency also adds monetary penalties of $12,882 for each violation, and the surety/trust fund provider will be ineligible to provide broker financial security for three years.
Compliance date for this provision: Jan. 16, 2025.
Entities eligible to provide trust funds for BMC-85 filings
FMCSA is removing loan and finance companies from the list of providers eligible to serve as BMC-85 trustees.
“This type of institution is not subject to the rigorous federal regulations applicable to chartered depository institutions or to the state regulations applicable to insurance companies,” according to FMCSA. “Loan and finance companies will now be prohibited from offering BMC-85 trusts unless they obtain certification to operate as another type of financial institution that remains on the list of eligible providers.”
Compliance date for this provision: Jan. 16, 2026.
The Transportation Intermediaries Association, which represents truck brokers, pointed out in comments filed earlier this year that adjustments to broker financial backing requirements were required following a law passed in 2012, and that getting new oversight in place is “long overdue” and continues to be necessary.
“TIA petitioned the FMCSA in 2014 to move forward with rulemaking on the key provisions of the law as they related to broker and freight forwarder financial instruments and implementation provisions,” TIA told FreightWaves in a statement commenting on the final rule.
“This is a huge step towards addressing potential financial fraud and making sure that funding is available to protect motor carriers and brokers.”
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which pushed for stronger oversight within several of the provisions when the rule was proposed, called the final rule “a step in the right direction to enhance oversight of broker financial responsibilities as we continue to work with partners to fight for increased broker transparency and the elimination of broker fraud,” the group wrote in a statement to FreightWaves.
“We encourage FMCSA to continue to move in the right direction by expediting their rulemaking on OOIDA’s 2020 petition to enhance broker transparency. Truckers shouldn’t have to wait an additional year for the agency to ensure brokers are following federal regulations.”
BILL HOOD
Completely misleading headline. This has nothing to do with fraud. Bonds are worthless but are the “feel good” for drivers who bought a job.
Dakota Polkowska Springfields
Right foot forward but still waiting on the left foot to catch up to speed here. What kind of agency takes years to make one rule? We need broker transparency TODAY! Are the staff in the FMCSA ignoring us or is there a benefit to the main decision maker to keep this request going? Why are you taking so long? Every owner operator, small fleet owner needs to start requesting broker documentation on loads and when brokers don’t comply, let FMCSA know they need enforcement. Power is in numbers. I am available to help anybody fill out any requests? They need if you’re too busy or don’t know how to do it. I will even follow up for you on your behalf. If anybody needs help filing a claim, I am also available to do the same on your behalf. Pete Buttigieg you have the power to fix this, please enforce broker transparency TODAY! Anyone who has a Carrier Contract Agreement with a broker that is including a clause to waive your right to broker transparency needs to cross it out on the contract and send it back to them initialed and dated. Anyone who has a Carrier contract agreement with a broker that is including a clause that allows brokers to offset funds owed to you, cross that clause out and send it back initialed and dated. Let me know if you are blacklisted because then that will be another problem for them. I am currently making a list and checking it twice…FMCSA is gonna find out who’s naughty or nice. I told you FMCSA at the truck show, remember my name and remember my face because Pink Cheetah Express will be heard for myself and all of us truckers suffering at your hands because you have the authority to enforce this rule.
Jesse Neaves
“ What’s good for the goose , is good for the gander” . I have been in the industry for almost 30 years and have been on both sides of the fence. The industry continues to need more adjustments agreed but certain regulations need to be placed on both brokers and carriers. I could write a book on what all needs to be changed in order to have a more level playing ground. Carriers going out of business because of rates, unpaid loads, detentions etc. but brokers are also going out business due to low margins, carriers double brokering , higher insurance , staffing wage increases, large shippers taking 90 days to pay etc. When politicians get involved they are quick to judgment and laws are passed with out due diligence or hearing both sides of the story!
J.N.
Jagdip randio
Hi this is good step against brokers but $75000.00 bond is not enough it’s need at least 1 million because some brokers book loads in one week more than $250000.00 and also need some kind of insurance which is cover carrier’s money when brokers shut down business after that carrier is not get his money. Brokers get paid by customers same day and carrier need pay same day as carriers deliver the load. If this under law broker is not fraud with carrier Thanks
Segis J Meyers
Legislation needs to be passes as a requirement that brokers must post what any load is paying openly on the load boards that they are given from the shippers! There pawn shop thinking is wrong! Wanting the trucking companies out there to make bids on loads is wrong,there giving the loads to the lowest bidder is wrong! Singing there song,dancing there dance,and jumping through there different size hulahoops is wrong! I’ve been in this business for 48 yrs and never seen it so bad! You can’t operate a truck for $1.20/mi in this overinflated economy we have today!!!
Terry Lynn Campbell
You all missed the point. Freight brokers have been robbing trucker forever. Somebody needs to regulate them as they hoard money from hard working drivers like myself who has never seen a increase in money 37 years I’ve been trucking and it’s worse technology don’t play a part just takes the fight out of trucking pushed real drivers professional people wit the driver to get it done to a money game no pride in work at all we once helped each other now nobody will hardly even speak to you sad but at 60 yrs old I can say I’ve seen the good times .get them brokers regulate they ass cause you’ve lost the best driver’s ever wit computers and crap in a dam truck can’t get work done cause you busy playing with machines that have no business in a dam truck God bless and keep on trucking 3 million miles or more probably 4 . Campbell back quite
Bilal
So make sure they pay the company but no regulations on how much they take from thr actual load? Makes sense
Eltee
This might be a good time and place to air out the protections of Section 7