In a late day news conference Thursday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered an update on the federal government's efforts to improve highway safety by targeting truckers who are in the U.S. illegally and shutting down so called CDL mills and and other programs he said do not deliver proper driver training. He also announced his agency will also go after companies that hire unqualified drivers.
In response to a reporter's question, Duffy called into question the long-held and often repeated belief of some trucking organizations and companies that there is a shortage of drivers, and that removing illegal immigrant drivers and foreign ones who hold non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses will cause problems for this country's supply chain.
Duffy said, " I do not buy the idea that there are not enough American drivers. To the contrary, there are enough American truck drivers to meet the demands we have in this country."
Two of the industry's leading advocacy groups have reacted to comments made Thursday by Duffy, who was joined by recently-confirmed Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs. Both organizations called for closer scrutiny of training programs, which only have to self-certify as meeting federal standards to be placed on the FMCSA's Training Provider Registry.
“We are going to go after the CDL mills issuing licenses across the country,” said Duffy. “We are going to take a hard look at those individuals.”
Duffy vowed to put those programs out of business.
He also warned that FMCSA will also be investigating the trucking companies that hire drivers coming out of those programs with little or no actual driving experience. He said companies that do hire unqualified drivers so so because foreign drivers will work for lower wages.
“We are diving into the companies that hire these drivers that may not have a license, that may not have a lawfully issued license, or do not speak the language,” he said. “Companies will be held to account.
“It begs the question: Who is testing these drivers? Who is taking drivers in, seeing if they speak English, and then testing them on basic skills that would allow them to be certified to go to the DOT to get a license?"
The Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association and the American Trucking Associations agreed with Duffy's assertions and plan of action.
"Secretary Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Barrs are right to crack down on CDL mills and the trucking companies that rely on unqualified drivers, said Todd Spencer, president of the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association. "Years of misguided ‘driver shortage’ policies have flooded America’s roadways with poorly trained newcomers operating 80,000-pound trucks and innocent motorists are paying the price.
"Trucking is a skilled profession, not cheap labor. We applaud the Trump Administration’s commitment to restoring standards in trucking that will not only save lives, but help improve professionalism in our industry."
The American Trucking Associations likewise praised Duffy, saying his comments align with the association's longstanding priority to keep roads safe by enhancing training, testing, and licensing standards for CDL-holders.
“Proper driver training is the baseline for highway safety, which is why we commend Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs for closing dangerous loopholes, enforcing existing regulations, and ensuring that only qualified, well-trained drivers are operating on our nation’s roadways,” said ATA President & CEO Chris Spear. “Thanks to their leadership, we are making significant strides to root out bad actors and ensure every new commercial driver receives high-quality, consistent training before getting behind the wheel.
“As the largest national association representing the trucking industry, ATA and its members recognize the critical importance of a trained, qualified driver workforce. By continuing to partner with the Trump Administration, we can ensure that all drivers meet our high standards of safety and professionalism.”
A statement TA said the organization has repeatedly called for stronger oversight and accountability to eliminate fraudulent or substandard CDL training providers that undermine roadway safety and public confidence. Earlier this month, ATA sent a letter to Congress urging greater federal action to identify and remove noncompliant training providers from FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry as well as strengthen enforcement of ELDT moving forward.
While Duffy unveiled new actions crack down on fraudulent CDL mills, he also pledged to continue effort to enforce English language proficiency standards for truckers, and mentioned that a recent inspection effort placed numerous drivers out of service.
Duffy thanked Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for deploying ICE officers during recent action in northern Indiana near the Illinois state line. He said of 233 illegal aliens were arrested, including 144 truck drivers, many of whom had criminal records.
