Truck drivers using a federal listening forum delivered a simple message: improve compensation and working conditions before asking for longer days. That sentiment lands just as regulators moved in the opposite direction on workforce size, unveiling emergency restrictions on who can hold a non‑domiciled commercial driver’s license — a change that could remove a meaningful slice of the driving pool over the next two years.
On Friday, Sept. 26, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued an interim final rule that sharply narrows eligibility for non‑citizens to obtain or renew CDLs. Only holders of H‑2A, H‑2B or E‑2 visas will qualify, states must verify immigration status through federal databases, and all states have been told to pause issuing these credentials until they comply. California — cited for systemic problems in a federal audit — has 30 days to come into line or risk an initial $160 million loss of federal highway funds.
The scale matters. Federal officials say roughly 200,000 non‑citizen CDL holders are on U.S. roads — about 5% of the total driver base — and that only a fraction would meet the new criteria. The Associated Press reports that existing licenses won’t be canceled immediately, but annual in‑person renewals under tighter checks are expected to winnow that number significantly. One driving‑school operator told AP that cutting supply could force carriers to lift entry‑level wages to attract domestic drivers. For fleets already hearing drivers call for “more money, not more hours,” that is a near‑term reality to plan for.
Industry reaction reflects the politics and the pressure. The American Trucking Associations publicly backed stronger enforcement of credentialing standards for non‑domiciled CDLs, arguing that rules only work when states apply them consistently. The Owner‑Operator Independent Drivers Association likewise praised the crackdown, calling loopholes a safety risk to professional drivers and the motoring public. Whatever their different views on pay and hours, the big trade groups agree on this point: credentialing lapses have to be fixed.
The enforcement push is already rippling through border operations. In Laredo, Texas — the nation’s busiest inland port — the Laredo Motor Carriers Association warned that stepped‑up English‑proficiency enforcement is sidelining drayage drivers who shuttle loads within the commercial zone, threatening throughput at the bridges. Rep. Henry Cuellar said he forwarded the group’s letter to the White House and urged a balance between safety and trade flow. Carriers there are scrambling to provide targeted ESL instruction to keep drivers on the job.
What does all of this mean for fleets weighing drivers’ plea for better compensation over expanded hours? First, expect capacity to tighten at the margins as states implement the rule and as English‑proficiency enforcement expands beyond border regions. Second, watch for spot and contract‑rate pressure in lanes reliant on non‑domiciled labor or cross‑border drayage. Third, anticipate a compensation arms race in entry‑level hiring — not because drivers asked for longer days, but because the labor pool may shrink and federal policy is steering carriers toward “pay to retain” rather than “hours to stretch.”
Practical next steps for operators: audit your workforce eligibility timelines now; build contingencies for cross‑border dwell and transfer capacity; expand paid, on‑the‑clock policies for non‑driving tasks that drivers routinely flag as sore points; and be prepared to adjust CPM, accessorials and detention policies to keep seats filled. At the policy level, carriers and drivers should use the current comment windows and outreach channels to keep steering Washington away from blunt‑force changes to the 14‑hour day and toward targeted fixes that pay for time actually worked — the very priority drivers just underscored.
Sources: FreightWaves, AP News, Reuters, FMCSA, Overdrive, Laredo Morning Times
This article was prepared exclusively for TruckStopInsider.com. Republishing is permitted only with proper credit and a link back to the original source.
