WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is issuing a final rule “to stop unqualified foreign drivers from obtaining licenses to drive commercial trucks and buses.”
“For far too long, America has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to abuse our truck licensing systems – wreaking havoc on our roadways,” Duffy said. “This safety loophole ends today. Moving forward, unqualified foreign drivers will be unable to get a license to operate an 80,000-pound big rig. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are putting the safety of the driving public first. From enforcing English language standards to holding fraudulent carriers accountable, we will continue to attack this crisis on our roads head on.”
Addressing Safety Concerns
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Association (FMCSA), the reforms will address safety concerns by preventing foreign drivers who have not been subject to consular and interagency screening from receiving a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
“While U.S. drivers are subject to strict checks through national databases for past violations—such as DUIs, reckless driving or crash involvement—states lack the ability to access the driving records of foreigners and illegal immigrants,” FMCSA said. “This loophole allowed individuals with dangerous driving histories to obtain a trucking license simply by presenting an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which does not screen for transportation safety.”
Closing the Gap
“A critical safety gap allowed unqualified drivers with unknown driving histories to get behind the wheel of commercial vehicles,” said Derek D. Barrs, FMCSA administrator. “We are closing that gap today to ensure that only qualified, vetted drivers are operating on our nation’s roadways. If we cannot verify your safe driving history, you cannot hold a CDL in this country.”
The reforms are a follow up to Duffy’s emergency action to end the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs to truckers with unverified driving histories following a surge of deadly crashes involving non-domiciled drivers.
OOIDA (Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association)
“OOIDA and truckers across America support the Trump Administration’s continued actions to crack down on the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA president. “For too long, loopholes in this program have allowed unqualified drivers onto our highways, putting professional truckers and the motoring public at risk. This final rule is a major step toward safer roads, stronger accountability, and a more professional trucking industry.”
According to Spencer, certain large carriers and their advocates have spent years pushing policies that expand access to cheaper labor, often at the expense of safety and professional standards.
“The decades old ‘driver shortage’ narrative has been used to justify lowering standards and bringing inadequately trained drivers into the industry,” Spencer said. “The result has been a steady erosion of professionalism that has made our highways less safe. This rule is a course correction and will remove unqualified drivers from the road.”
Small Business Transportation Coalition
“The SBTC applauds FMCSA’s final rule, which closes the loopholes that allowed state motor vehicle agencies to issue CDLs to foreign drivers without verifying their driving history, and rely on employment authorization documents that resulted in more than 30 states illegally issuing tens of thousands of CDLs to unqualified and ineligible drivers,” said James Lamb, SBTC executive director. “The SBTC now calls on the Secretary to next perform his lawful duty under 49 U.S. Code § 31312 and decertify the CDL-issuance authority of those states the FMCSA has found to be in final substantial non-compliance with 49 USC Chapter 313, starting immediately with California in furtherance of public safety.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
