Transportation Secretary Announces Crackdown on Truck Driving Schools
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has initiated a crackdown on numerous truck driving schools, imposing a 30-day deadline for compliance with the administration’s regulations concerning truck drivers.
A press release from the Department of Transportation (DOT) indicates that around 3,000 commercial driver’s license (CDL) training providers have been removed from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Training Provider Registry (TPR). Additionally, it mentions that over 4,000 providers have received warnings.
“This administration is addressing every aspect of the illegal trucking chain,” Duffy stated. “Under the Biden administration, some individuals were able to exploit the system, allowing unqualified drivers on our roads. This negligence endangers families across America. We’re putting a stop to it today.”
The TPR “lists all providers authorized to deliver federally mandated CDL entry-level driver training,” according to the press release. This marks the initial phase of an FMCSA review of the approximate 16,000 providers in the registry to identify and remove those not in compliance.
The National Truck Stop Owners Association (NATSO) reported that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that “about 18% of employed drivers are immigrants” as of October 2024.
The number of immigrant truck drivers is rising. The Bureau’s estimates show that the count of foreign-born drivers increased from approximately 315,981 in 2000 to over 720,000 in 2021. Of these, about 59.8 percent come from Central America and the Caribbean, and 6.5 percent from South America, as noted in a report by George Mason University’s Immigration Institute.
Bob Price from Breitbart News reported that a “national crackdown on foreign drivers” with CDLs has led to the arrest of around 250 drivers across states like Arizona, Indiana, Texas, and California. Many of these drivers were reportedly undocumented.
A report from the U.S. Committee on Refugees and Immigrants, dated October 29, 2025, noted that being a truck driver often means long stretches away from family. “Not many people are willing to sign up because it’s hard work,” the report remarked. This has left the industry facing significant labor shortages, with immigrant workers filling the gaps. The statistic that 18% of truck drivers are foreign-born reflects this trend, as immigrants take on roles that others tend to avoid.
Shannon Everett, the founder of American Truckers United, expressed support for the administration’s stance. “In my 25-year career, we finally have an administration that recognizes the truth. America doesn’t lack people who want to advance the truth,” he stated, referring to issues like wage cuts as a form of a labor dumping crisis.
Mr. Everett elaborated, “For years, we saw many refugees and asylum seekers placed on commercial truck transport without proper screening or adequate training, often without paying competitive wages. This has led to disastrous outcomes, including declining wages and working conditions for American truck drivers, record-high truck fatalities, and serious national security concerns. The focus on law enforcement and fair labor standards by the current administration is both overdue and welcomed by those who have witnessed the industry’s deterioration.”
