The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation are investigating truck driver schools. The focus is on improper certifications and falsified records concerning commercial driver’s licenses, especially for non-citizens.
Freedom Haulers Initiative
President Donald Trump is launching the White House’s new Freedom Haulers initiative. It aims to create paths for military veterans to become commercial truck drivers. The administration is also addressing illegal immigrant and non-English-speaking truck drivers.
President Trump’s administration has made our roads safer by taking illegal alien, non-English-speaking truck drivers off America’s highways. Now, through the Freedom Haulers initiative, the president is expanding opportunities for our veterans by making it easier to obtain commercial driver’s licenses once they conclude their service,
said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly.
The initiative pairs this crackdown with efforts to recruit military veterans into the trucking industry. Along with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, and acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, Trump will announce the plan.
Supporting Veterans
Trump, through a multi-agency effort, is supporting America’s trucking industry. This involves the departments of Transportation, Labor, and Veterans Affairs. The goal is to help veterans transition to civilian jobs in trucking.
The Department of Transportation is offering an expanded eligibility for veterans to secure commercial driver’s licenses. The waiver period for licenses will extend from 12 months to 24 months post-service.
Veterans without prior experience in commercial vehicle driving during military service will receive CDL training. Indiana and Wyoming will join the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Even Exchange program, easing veterans’ transition to civilian CDLs.
Werner Enterprises, a trucking company in Nebraska, will announce the hiring of 1,400 new veteran drivers.
Crackdown on Improper Licensing
The administration continues to target improperly licensed and non-English-speaking commercial drivers. DOT has removed over 24,000 CDLs due to stricter enforcement of English-language proficiency. Over 28,000 CDs issued to noncitizen drivers were also canceled.
These efforts aim to enhance highway safety and strengthen the trucking workforce. Recent fatal crashes involving illegal immigrant drivers highlight the need for strict licensing measures.
Veteran truck drivers have 42% fewer accidents and drive 98% more miles compared to non-veterans, DOT reports. This initiative seeks to improve highway safety and reinforce America’s supply chains.