The U.S. Department of Transportation is taking a bit of a victory lap for its efforts to clean up the trucking industry.
Last week, the DOT issued a news release celebrating “one year of delivering for American truckers.”
“The Trump administration has hit major milestones in our efforts to rein in the trucking industry, which has been allowed to operate like the Wild, Wild West for far too long,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “We’ve brought back common-sense rules of the road, including requiring English-language proficiency and valid working documents for foreign drivers. When state leaders failed to keep Americans on the road safe, we stepped in and held them accountable, and we’re just getting started.”
The DOT and FMCSA have certainly been busy over the past year.
Last May, Duffy announced that the DOT would begin enforcing an existing regulation that requires CDL holders to demonstrate English proficiency.
“Federal law has always been very clear. Commercial drivers must be proficient in English,” Duffy said at the 2025 event in Austin, Texas. “English is the language of opportunity in America. Allowing drivers who cannot read stop signs or understand police officers’ instructions to operate an 80,000-pound big rig threatens the safety of every American on our roadways.”
According to the DOT, more than 20,000 truckers have been placed out of service since June 2025 for failing to meet English-proficiency standards.
In June, the DOT issued a Pro-Trucker Package with nine initiatives aimed at improving the trucking profession.
That same month, FMCSA launched a nationwide audit to hold states accountable for illegally issuing non-domiciled CDLs. The audit ultimately led to a final rule, which took effect this past March. The final rule is expected to eliminate about 200,000 non-domiciled CDLs.
Both efforts focus on improving safety while also raising the barrier for entry into the industry.
During the 2026 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said that receiving a CDL “should mean something.”
The agency has also taken steps to crack down on CDL mills, chameleon carriers and fraudulent ELD manufacturers.
Barrs, who spent more than three decades in law enforcement, said that truck drivers deserve to work in a safe profession.
“I’ve spent my life looking out for the folks on our highways, and I’m telling you, these drivers are the heartbeat of this country,” Barrs said. “This administration is finally giving our truckers the support they’ve earned to get the job done and get home safe to their families.” LL
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