At this point, trucking enforcement at the intrastate level is left up to state governments.
Federal authority is limited to carrier operations that cross state lines.
A bill sent to Congress last week by the Department of Transportation would give federal investigators broader jurisdiction in the business of intrastate trucking, DOT officials said. It also would strengthen DOT's power to shut down any unsafe trucking operation, including those generally considered intrastate carriers. Technically, the bill would make it possible for federal agents to place out of service any company subject to federal safety regulations. The vast majority of states have adopted federal rules as their own. This would extend the scope of responsibility in tendering safe loads, something the carrier industry has been asking for.