Washington, D.C. — The American Trucking Associations, Truckload Carriers Association, Owner‑Operator Independent Drivers Association, National Tank Truck Carriers and the National Private Truck Council have jointly mailed a letter to members of the U.S. House and Senate urging passage of the Transportation Security Administration Security Threat Assessment Application Modernization Act.

The bill matters because dozens of TSA‑run programs—such as Pre‑Check, Secure Freight and the Trusted Traveler initiatives—each demand a separate security threat assessment. For a CDL‑A driver or an owner‑operator, completing multiple checks means extra paperwork, duplicate fees and weeks of waiting before a truck can be cleared for a new load. Eliminating that redundancy could shave days off onboarding and lower compliance costs for fleets of every size.

Under the proposed legislation, a single valid TSA background check would satisfy enrollment in any number of TSA programs, allowing drivers to move between OTR routes, regional hauls and specialized tank‑truck work without re‑applying. Both the House and the Senate have already heard the measure, according to Trucker News. ATA Chairman Harold Sumerford Jr. used the same outreach to press the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee on inflationary pressures, naming congestion, soaring fuel prices and a chronic labor shortage as the three biggest threats to profitability. He warned that diesel is running about $2 per gallon higher than it was a year ago, a jump that erodes margins for both owner‑operators and large carriers.

What This Means for Drivers

CDL‑A drivers who already hold a TSA security threat assessment will be able to add new program enrollments with a single electronic form, cutting administrative time from weeks to minutes. Owner‑operators can now qualify for multiple TSA‑backed contracts—such as high‑value freight or hazardous material hauls—without paying separate fees for each clearance, preserving cash flow on the road. Fleet managers gain a unified record‑keeping system, reducing the risk of missed renewals and allowing faster placement of drivers into open OTR truck driver jobs. In practice, the change could lower the average cost of background screening by up to 30 percent, according to industry estimates.

Industry Reaction

ATA, TCA and OIDA praised the effort as a long‑overdue fix to a bureaucratic bottleneck that has slowed hiring and increased operating costs. Sumerford emphasized that streamlined security checks are only one piece of an "all‑of‑the‑above" strategy that also must address fuel price volatility and the driver shortage. Several large trucking companies have publicly backed the bill, saying it would help them meet FMCSA regulations while keeping freight moving. Smaller carriers and independent owner‑operators echoed the sentiment, noting that the current system forces them to choose between compliance and profitability.

Key Points

• Five major trucking groups filed a joint letter to Congress on September 10, 2026.
• The Transportation Security Administration Security Threat Assessment Application Modernization Act would allow one TSA background check for all TSA programs.
• Both the House and Senate have already heard the bill.
• ATA Chairman Harold Sumerford Jr. highlighted diesel prices $2 per gallon higher than a year ago as a critical inflationary pressure.

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