Truckers’ message to federal regulators this week has been blunt: compensation reform matters more than squeezing extra productivity out of already long days. In feedback highlighted by FreightWaves, drivers pushed back on efforts to expand hours flexibility, arguing that unpaid time at shippers and receivers and a lack of overtime eligibility are bigger safety and retention problems than the 14-hour clock itself.
That pay-first drumbeat arrived as the U.S. Department of Transportation moved quickly on a different front. On Sept. 26, 2025, the agency issued an emergency action sharply restricting which non‑citizens can obtain or renew non‑domiciled commercial driver’s licenses, requiring employment-based visas and mandatory federal immigration status checks. DOT also warned California it could lose federal funds if it fails to correct alleged licensing lapses. The rule takes effect immediately, signaling far more aggressive federal oversight of state CDL practices.
News organizations reported additional contours and consequences: the new limits confine eligibility to certain visa categories, cap license validity to a year or until a visa expires, and could shrink a segment of the driver pool. Supporters inside the administration frame the crackdown as a safety measure; some officials also contend it may nudge wages higher by tightening supply — a dynamic drivers say would be welcome if it finally compensates them for all the hours they work.
The clampdown didn’t come out of nowhere. A day earlier, DOT had previewed a “major” announcement on non‑domiciled CDLs, underscoring how licensing integrity has become a top‑tier priority alongside headline regulatory pilots on hours-of-service. For fleets, that means simultaneous compliance and workforce pressures: vetting existing CDL holders, adjusting recruiting pipelines, and stress‑testing coverage plans — all while fielding drivers’ calls for detention pay and time‑based compensation.
Why it matters: If Washington’s licensing action constrains available labor at the margins, it amplifies what drivers told regulators this week — the fastest route to a safer, more reliable truckload network isn’t a longer workday, it’s paying for the workday we already have. For carriers and shippers, that points to practical steps now: tighten onboarding compliance, but also revisit pay packages, make detention pay automatic, and build appointment disciplines that cut dwell. The policy winds are shifting on who can drive; drivers are pushing just as hard on how they’re paid to do it.
Sources: FreightWaves, FMCSA, Associated Press, Reuters
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