A recent article from FreightWaves.com discusses how U.S. truck carriers are facing challenges from Mexican truckers using B-1 visitor visas to secure delivery contracts, essentially undercutting American drivers.
“We decided to close in December because we foresaw this issue coming,” shared a former trucking company owner in an interview with FreightWaves. “There was just no point in getting involved with the complications arising from B-1 drivers. It’s honestly baffling what transpired in this business,” the owner commented.
Another trucking owner noted, “If you look at I-35 out of Laredo, the sight is just overwhelming—most of the trucks are driven by B-1 visa holders. It’s spiraled out of control.” He went on to explain, “As an owner-operator, I have local hauling operations, but competing against B-1 drivers is tough. They usually command lower wages, which forces us to struggle to compete. It just seems no one is really earning well here.”
Though NAFTA allows Mexican drivers to deliver their own cargo to the U.S. and return, many remain in the U.S. on B-1 visitor visas, causing concerns. “In recent years, a large number of people have exploited this system, and there seems to be little action taken against it,” remarked another trucking company owner.
Mexican drivers are reportedly managing to secure freight contracts from U.S. brokers or companies that are hiring them illegally at lower pay rates. Some Mexican firms have even established U.S. subsidiaries to facilitate recruiting workers with immigrant status, as indicated by various reports.
In Canada, some drivers utilize H-2A Agricultural Workers Visas to secure truck driving jobs in places like Maine.
In an April 10 statement, the American Truck Transport Association highlighted discussions with Transport Secretary Sean Duffy regarding the B-1 Visa regulations, which were formulated by the Department of Homeland Security.
This issue has been repeatedly raised with law enforcement over the years. While the ATA supports the legitimate use of B-1 drivers for international travel, U.S. drivers are concerned about the illegal employment of these drivers for domestic cargo within the U.S. borders.
While cabotage is against the law, its implications on the economic and labor landscape for compliant U.S. trucking carriers are serious. We believe that the Department of Transportation, through collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement, should enhance efforts to monitor and enforce cabotage regulations for B-1 drivers.
FreightWaves mentioned that government agencies could check driver approvals at weigh stations along cabotage routes. As one Texas carrier noted, “They have the capability to inspect; they could do it whenever they wanted. I’ve noticed border control focusing more on stopping undocumented migrants instead of addressing this issue.”
The surge of migrant drivers has, in part, been driven by policies from President Biden’s border chief. These decisions have reportedly put pressure on wages and disincentivized investment in higher pay for domestic trucking labor.
While truck carriers and retailers have quietly welcomed this influx of lower-wage workers, they often defend it by stating they cannot find American drivers for their operations. However, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the presence of foreign drivers might be contributing to a driver shortage among Americans, as it lowers wages and deteriorates working conditions—leading young Americans to exit the trucking profession.
This shift is troubling, as the lack of experienced American drivers correlates with an uptick in fatal accidents. For instance, reports surfaced on May 9 about a Kentucky incident involving a commercial truck driven by a younger individual under questionable circumstances.
Kentucky State Police reported that Troy Caldwell, 54, was loading a vehicle when he was struck by a commercial truck driven by 29-year-old Shodmond Yuldashef, who allegedly had been distracted by watching YouTube during the incident and attempted to conceal this fact during the investigation.
Court records indicate Yuldashef was released but failed to attend his court date last October. Recently, a grand jury has charged him with murder.
Another report from Ohio detailed how a semi-truck was driven onto a golf course, resulting in significant damage and leading to the driver’s arrest for failing to provide a satisfactory explanation for his actions.
In response to rising concerns, officials including Trump and Secretary Duffy have begun to tighten regulations, such as requiring drivers to demonstrate language proficiency to operate within the U.S.
