Mark Schremmer
Efforts to curb fraud in the trucking industry have been taken into overdrive.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday, Aug. 31, that it is working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and a White House task force to target criminal networks and fraud to reduce highway fatalities and protect Americans.
“USDOT has spent the last year-and-a-half strengthening the rules of the road and removing dangerous foreign drivers from our trucking industry,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a news release. “To fully root out the scourge of fraud, hold criminals accountable and restore safety, we need the support of federal law enforcement.”
DOT actions
According to DOT, over the past year-and-a-half, it has removed 28,000 truck drivers for failing to meet English-proficiency standards. In addition, the agency has forced states to revoke more than 30,000 licenses that were said to be issued illegally to foreign drivers. More than 8,000 training schools were also removed from the registry for not meeting FMCSA standards.
Now, the DOT has announced three more actions to remove bad actors and keep unqualified drivers from entering the industry.
- Emergency removal of training providers
FMCSA said it will remove more than 110 Entry-Level Driver Training providers from the registry for certifying drivers who did not meet English-proficiency requirements. The DOT said the providers must immediately cease all operations.
- Targeted investigations
In July, FMCSA sent 175 investigators in 40 states to conduct nearly 400 investigations of ELDT providers. DOT said the investigations uncovered several serious cases of non-compliance, including inadequate space, unlicensed instructors, missing documentation and fraudulent classrooms. The investigations resulted in more than 160 notices of proposed removals from FMCSA’s registry.
- Nationwide audit
FMCSA is launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers and states’ oversight of the testers.
DHS actions
DHS completed a synchronized single-day sweep targeting more than 200 training schools across 23 states.
“Thanks to the recklessness of sanctuary politicians, there is a growing and alarming trend of illegal aliens being granted commercial driver’s licenses,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. “Many of them don’t speak English or understand the rules of the road, and yet they’re driving among us, endangering our loved ones … Our partnership with the Department of Transportation will help root out CDL fraud so that illegal aliens are no longer able to obtain CDLs and put American lives at risk.”
Additionally, the Department of Justice formed the Joint Task Force Crossroads of America to “safeguard the nation’s highway system and strengthen the security of our borders.”
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said it supports efforts to remove fraud from the trucking industry.
“Nobody cares more about highway safety than professional truck drivers, and it is basic common sense that anyone operating an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle on public roadways should be properly trained, able to read critical road signs, follow emergency instructions, and communicate with law enforcement and first responders in English,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “OOIDA and professional truck drivers across America commend Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs for taking concrete actions to crack down on fraudulent training operations and restore rigorous English language proficiency enforcement. Congress must now do its part and pass Dalilah’s Law to ensure CDL mills remain closed and English language proficiency enforcement is permanently made the law of the land.”
