About 200,000 foreign truck drivers are facing challenges in renewing their commercial driving licenses because of new measures put in place by the Ministry of Transport. The final rule, which was implemented on Monday, aims to enhance safety by preventing “unqualified foreign drivers” from operating large trucks and buses on U.S. roads.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made this announcement, pointing to a rule established back in February, titled Restoring Integrity to the Issuance of Nonresident Commercial Driver’s Licenses. Officials have emphasized safety, claiming that undocumented drivers could contribute to a significant number of deadly crashes in the coming years. A national audit had previously revealed systemic issues related to non-resident commercial driver’s licenses across various states.
Key aspects of the rule include restricting non-domiciled CDLs to those with specific visa types, like H-2A, H-2B, and E-2, and eliminating the use of employment authorization documents as proof of eligibility. State licensing agencies must now verify qualifications through the Systematic Alien Qualification Verification System.
As a result, individuals under programs such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, asylum seekers, and those with Temporary Protected Status are no longer eligible for a CDL. While foreign nationals can continue driving with their current licenses until they expire, they will not be able to renew them once that happens.
The estimated impact of this rule is significant, affecting around 200,000 current CDL holders. The Secretary of Transportation stated that the U.S. has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to exploit the truck licensing system for too long, and these new measures are aimed at prioritizing road safety.
