H.R. 5337 — Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act of 2024

This section establishes a temporary safe harbor from negligent selection claims for covered entities—including shippers or consignees (except individual shippers), brokers, freight forwarders, ocean transportation intermediaries arranging inland transport as part of international ocean movements, certain indirect air carriers and customs brokers, and motor carriers—contracting with covered motor carriers for goods or household goods shipments. To qualify, not earlier than 45 days and not later than the shipment date, the covered entity must verify the carrier's registration under 49 U.S.C. §13902, minimum required insurance, and compliance with FMCSA safety standards via public FMCSA confirmation stating either that the carrier meets all operating requirements or fails to meet one or more. (The safe harbor sunsets on the effective date of required FMCSA regulations.) This section directs the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate, not later than one year after enactment, final regulations amending appendix B to 49 CFR part 385 (or successor) to revise motor carrier safety fitness determination methodology using all available data, including procedures for unfit determinations under 49 U.S.C. §31144 and the public confirmation requirements of subsections (a)(1) and (b). This section (1) exempts individual shippers from these verification requirements upon demonstrating they contracted with a covered motor carrier; (2) preserves state drayage laws; and (3) defines terms such as "covered entity," "covered motor carrier" (excluding passenger motor carriers), "household goods," and "Secretary" (of Transportation).