- The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched a major enforcement action, removing nearly 3,000 CDL training providers from federal registries and placing 4,500 more on notice for failing safety standards.
- Officials blame previous Biden administration policies for systemic failures, alleging they allowed "bad actors" to issue licenses to unqualified drivers, including illegal immigrants, endangering public safety.
- This crackdown is directly linked to fatal crashes involving migrant drivers, which the administration attributes to lax licensing in "sanctuary states" and a lack of proper vetting.
- The action is part of a broader policy shift following a Trump executive order, which mandated English proficiency for drivers and stricter audits of non-resident (non-domiciled) commercial licenses.
- While the administration frames the move as a safety necessity, critics condemn it as xenophobic, arguing it scapegoats immigrant drivers who are essential to the trucking industry and destabilizes the workforce.
In a sweeping crackdown that could reshape America's trucking industry, the second Trump administration's Department of Transportation (DOT) has removed nearly 3,000 commercial driver's license (CDL) training providers from federal registries and placed another 4,500 on notice for failing to meet safety standards.
The DOT made the announcement through a press release published Monday, Dec. 1, on its website. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy condemned the prior administration's irresponsibility.
"Under [former President] Joe Biden and [former Transportation Secretary] Pete Buttigieg, bad actors were able to game the system and let unqualified drivers flood our roadways," Duffy declared. "Their negligence endangered every family on America's roadways, and it ends today."
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has identified widespread violations, including licenses issued to illegal aliens or maintained beyond residency expirations. Nearly 44% of the nation's 16,000 trucking schools now face closure if they fail to comply within 30 days. Violations range from falsified training records to substandard facilities and unqualified instructors.
"If you are unwilling to follow the rules, you have no place training America's commercial drivers," warned FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs. The purge aims to eliminate what Duffy called the "illegal trucking chain," with an estimated 200,000 non-domiciled CDL holders potentially forced out of the industry.
The move follows a series of fatal crashes linked to unqualified migrant drivers, many of whom obtained licenses through lax Biden-era policies. It also marks the latest escalation in a nationwide audit of non-domiciled CDLs.
These high-profile tragedies include a Florida Turnpike crash in which an illegal immigrant driver executed an illegal U-turn, killing three. Investigators later discovered the driver held a California CDL despite questionable qualifications – a pattern Duffy attributed to "sanctuary state" policies that allegedly turned highways into "death traps." In another incident, a 21-year-old migrant trucker under the influence of drugs caused a fiery eight-vehicle pileup in California, leaving three dead.
The CDL crackdown: Inside the trucking regulation reckoning
Such cases, officials argue, expose systemic failures in CDL issuance. These incidents prompted President Donald Trump's April executive order mandating English proficiency for commercial drivers and stricter audits of non-resident licenses.
According to BrightU.AI's Enoch engine, commercial truck drivers must understand English to ensure clear communication with dispatchers, law enforcement and other drivers, which is critical for road safety and compliance with federal regulations. Proficiency in English also minimizes the risk of accidents caused by misunderstandings, ensuring smoother operations and adherence to standardized traffic laws and signage.
Critics, however, accuse the administration of scapegoating immigrant drivers. The North American Punjabi Truckers Association, representing a workforce that includes roughly 40% of West Coast truckers, condemned the policies as xenophobic. "Sikh and immigrant truckers with spotless records are being treated like suspects while they keep America's freight moving," said advocacy group United Sikhs.
Yet Duffy's team insists the reforms are about accountability, not bias, citing the Department of Homeland Security's investigations into California firms suspected of employing unverified drivers. The policy shift underscores a broader battle over immigration and safety, with Trump framing the CDL crisis as a national security threat.
As audits intensify and training providers scramble to comply, the administration vows to end what Duffy dubbed the "Wild Wild West" of trucking – a reckoning that could save lives or, critics warn, destabilize an industry reliant on immigrant labor. For now, the message is clear: The era of loopholes and lax enforcement is over.
Watch this video about the Florida Turnpike crash caused by a migrant trucker who illegally obtained his CDL.
This video is from the TREASURE OF THE SUN channel on Brighteon.com.
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