Regulation/Proposed Rulemaking
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates and oversees the trucking industry, including towing, with the goal of reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities involving trucks and buses. FMCSA is directly responsible for federal programs and policies that impact the industry including driver qualifications, hours of service (HOS), safety regulations, and requirements for inspection, repair, and maintenance programs for commercial vehicles. Federal regulations directly impact every towing company in the United States.
As such, TRAA frequently advocates on proposed rulemakings, either in favor or opposition, based on the best interest of our members. Some of the federal regulations TRAA has recently engaged on include:
Want to support TRAA's efforts to protect the industry's interests on a federal level? We accept donations of any amount to the Lobbyist Support Fund.
As such, TRAA frequently advocates on proposed rulemakings, either in favor or opposition, based on the best interest of our members. Some of the federal regulations TRAA has recently engaged on include:
- 16 CFR Part 464: Unfair or Deceptive Fees Trade Regulation aka "Junk Fees" Rule (88 FR 77420) [Docket No. FTC-2023-24234)
- Thanks to TRAA’s efforts, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee’s Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Report 2025 included the following language:
Junk Fees.—The Committee is concerned by the broad scope of the FTC’s proposed rule ‘‘Trade Regulation Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees’’. While truly deceptive and excessive fees are important to combat, expected fees, such as large party service fees and delivery fees at restaurants, as well as fees not included in the proposed rule, such as towing fees for commercial motor vehicles, lack the necessary evidence to prove their inclusion would be beneficial in the final rule. In short, the FTC has failed to demonstrate that the broad scope of the proposed rule will not impose burdens and costs in certain areas of the economy that are not offset by countervailing benefits. The Committee encourages the FTC to ensure such fees are omitted from the scope of any final rule. [Emphasis added]
- Thanks to TRAA’s efforts, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee’s Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Report 2025 included the following language:
- Exemption Application: Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Waymo, LLC, and Aurora Operations, Inc. [FMCSA-2023-0071-0013]
- Safe Integration of Automated Driving Systems (ADS)-Equipped Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs) [Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0037]
- Standard for Determining Joint-Employer Status [NLRB-2022-0001-0001]
- Unique Electronic Identification of Commercial Motor Vehicles [Docket No. FMCSA-2022-0062]
- Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operations; Speed Limiting Devices [Docket No. FMCSA-2022-0004]
- Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Program: Addition of Oral Fluid Specimen Testing for Drugs [DOT-OST-2021-0093]
- Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs [SAMHSA-2020-0001-0002]
- Proposed Pilot Program to Allow Persons Ages 18, 19, and 20 to Operate Commercial Motor Vehicles in Interstate Commerce [FMCSA-2018-0346-1124]
- Commercial Driver’s Licenses; Pilot Program to Allow Drivers Under 21 to Operate Commercial Motor Vehicles in Interstate Commerce [FMCSA-2018-0346]
- Hours of Service of Drivers [Docket No. FMCSA–2018–0248]
Want to support TRAA's efforts to protect the industry's interests on a federal level? We accept donations of any amount to the Lobbyist Support Fund.
Did you know?
Federal legislation is broken down into two types: statues and regulations. They're related as both are intended to set out legally binding rules, but who makes them and how very different. Federal statutes are laws made by the United States Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Statutes do not and cannot set out all the details that describe procedure related to the application and enforcement of the statutes. That is where regulations come in. Regulations are drafted by departments and administrative agencies, and each has its areas of expertise and is charged with drafting regulations in those areas. Click here for information on TRAA's statutory activites.
Federal legislation is broken down into two types: statues and regulations. They're related as both are intended to set out legally binding rules, but who makes them and how very different. Federal statutes are laws made by the United States Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Statutes do not and cannot set out all the details that describe procedure related to the application and enforcement of the statutes. That is where regulations come in. Regulations are drafted by departments and administrative agencies, and each has its areas of expertise and is charged with drafting regulations in those areas. Click here for information on TRAA's statutory activites.
