What the FY26 Appropriations Bill Means for Brokers and Why Engagement Matters Now
Appropriations bills rarely grab attention. But every so often, Congress advances legislation that reflects how the freight market actually operates, and the FY26 appropriations bill is one of those moments.
This bill begins to address real, persistent challenges facing the supply chain every day: Rising cargo theft, unsafe truck parking conditions, uneven training standards, gaps in freight data, and predatory towing practices. These are not abstract policy debates. They directly affect the safety and efficiency of the supply chain while costing consumers, brokers, carriers, and shippers billions in losses.
The progress we see here didn’t happen overnight. It reflects sustained advocacy by TIA’s advocacy team, our members, and industry stakeholders.
Progress only happens when TIA staff and members work together. Visit the TIA Action Center to make your voice heard and help turn policy into real-world results. Your engagement ensures that legislation like the FY26 appropriations bill delivers tangible improvements for brokers, carriers, drivers, and the entire freight ecosystem.
Here’s where the bill helps.
Cargo Theft: Moving From Recognition to Coordination
Cargo theft has become organized, sophisticated, and increasingly costly. The bill directs USDOT to work with DOJ, DHS, the FBI, and industry stakeholders to analyze cargo theft trends and develop a coordinated federal strategy. That coordination matters. Without consistent data and aligned enforcement, criminal networks will continue to exploit gaps. This provision is an important step forward, but success depends on continued engagement from the entire industry.
Treating Truck Parking Like the Safety Issue It Is
The nationwide truck parking shortage forces drivers into impossible decisions and increases risk for everyone on the road. The FY26 bill allocates $200 million through the INFRA (the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects) program to expand public truck parking along major freight corridors and requires U.S DOT to report on whether those investments improve access and safety.
TIA has long argued that truck parking is a safety issue, not a convenience issue. This funding acknowledges that reality. The next step is ensuring these dollars are deployed effectively; and that requires ongoing oversight and industry input.
Stronger Oversight of Driver Training
The Training Provider Registry is only as effective as its enforcement. The FY26 bill pushes the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to clarify removal procedures for noncompliant providers, expand reporting requirements, and develop a plan for regular audits. For brokers, consistent training standards mean safer operations and greater confidence across the supply chain.
Enforcing Existing Rules, Fairly and Consistently
The bill reinforces existing English language proficiency requirements by tying noncompliance to out-of-service orders and directing U.S DOT to report on enforcement outcomes.
Predatory Towing
The bill directs FMCSA to study predatory towing practices that impose unreasonable costs or hold cargo hostage costing brokers, carriers and shippers time and money. Transparency and oversight in this area are long overdue, and federal action is needed to investigate and eventually regulate this fraudulent practice.
Freight Data and FLOW
Separately, the bill provides $3 million for the Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) program. FLOW supports industry-led data sharing, supply chain transparency, and resilience. Congress encourages integrating commercially available AI and machine learning tools and coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for scenario planning. Better data strengthens the entire freight ecosystem, helping brokers make smarter, faster decisions during disruptions.
A Clear Call to Action
Cargo theft is at crisis levels, and the FY26 appropriations bill takes important steps to begin to address this issue, but progress only happens when TIA’s advocacy team and members work together. By visiting the TIA Action Center, you can make your voice heard on two other bills that TIA is supporting, so we can turn policy into real-world results.
