When it comes to safety on America’s highways, rules don’t mean much unless they’re enforced. That’s why the Trump administration’s decision today to tighten oversight of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) is both welcome and necessary.
A non-domiciled CDL is given to someone who is legally allowed to work in the U.S. but doesn’t permanently live in the state issuing the license—often foreign nationals working under temporary U.S. work authorization. These licenses can’t be issued to Mexican and Canadian drivers, since they’re already covered by agreements between our countries. But they must meet the same rigorous federal testing standards as all CDLs.
The problem is that federal audits have shown that several states aren’t living up to those standards. Too often, poor practices and weak oversight let unsafe drivers slip through the cracks and onto our roads.
We saw the tragic result of that last month in Florida, when a driver who should never have been licensed caused an egregious crash that took the lives of three innocent victims. It was a preventable failure, the kind stronger enforcement is meant to stop. Sadly, it’s not an isolated incident. Other fatal crashes have exposed the risks of letting states cut corners on CDL issuance.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s actions today send a clear message: safety and compliance aren’t optional. USDOT is right to demand that states meet higher standards. Trucking carries nearly three-quarters of the nation’s freight, and the public deserves to know that anyone driving an 80,000-pound truck has been properly trained, vetted, and cleared to be behind the wheel.
But the system is only as strong as its weakest link. When one state takes shortcuts, it puts everyone at risk: other drivers, law-abiding carriers, and the public at large.
That’s especially true when it comes to licensing foreign or non-domiciled drivers. History shows that gaps in oversight let people bypass U.S. testing, medical, or background requirements. That not only threatens safety but also undermines the entire CDL system and hurts those who play by the rules.
Today’s actions are a critical step forward that also highlights a broader opportunity: building a workforce pipeline that is both safe and sustainable. President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill opens the door for people to use 529 savings accounts and Pell Grants to pay for CDL training. That means more aspiring drivers can afford high-quality training and won’t be shut out of a career that keeps America’s economy moving.
As Secretary Duffy noted in his announcement, now is the time to invest in efforts to promote a younger driving workforce. We have the opportunity to responsibly open interstate trucking to qualified 18- to 20-year-olds through rigorous training programs. Today, these young adults can drive hundreds of miles within a single state but not across state lines. That is outdated, illogical, and a missed opportunity to develop the next generation of talent.
Smart enforcement and smart workforce development aren’t opposing goals. They go hand in hand. By pairing tough oversight with expanded opportunities, we can protect the motoring public, level the playing field for law-abiding carriers, and give more Americans access to good paying, rewarding careers behind the wheel.