The United States trucking sector is witnessing a significant departure of immigrant drivers, a direct consequence of the Trump administration's intensified enforcement of commercial driving regulations. This follows a series of fatal crashes and a federal push for stricter adherence to training and English proficiency standards.
Scrutiny and Fear Prompt Driver Exodus
While a recent move to flag nearly half of the nation's truck driving schools as noncompliant is expected to have minimal immediate disruption, the accompanying heavy scrutiny on immigrant drivers is having a tangible effect. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has spearheaded efforts to tighten licensing, particularly for non-citizens, after an August crash in Florida involving a driver allegedly not authorised to be in the US.
This focus has created an atmosphere of fear. Dave Atwal, owner of Diamond Transportation in Lodi, California, reported that many of his drivers are “just afraid to go to some of these other states where they might get harassed.” He has lost over 40 drivers who either left their jobs or could not renew their licenses despite safe records.
The pressure escalated after audits revealed issues like commercial licenses remaining valid long after a driver's work permit expired. This prompted California to revoke 17,000 licenses. Dave Laut of FBT Inc., who is Sikh like the driver in the Florida crash, stated that immigrant drivers are bearing the brunt. “A lot of (Sikhs) are quitting truck driving,” Laut said. “They feel people target them, and they feel insulted.”
Industry Braces for Gradual Impact
Experts suggest the industry can likely absorb the changes, aided by a current 10% drop in shipments since 2022 which has reduced immediate demand. The noncompliant schools were largely already idle, and new rules will phase in gradually as licenses come up for renewal.
However, the decertification of up to 7,500 trucking programs threatens the pipeline of new drivers. Antonio Yates of 100 Placement Truck Driving School in Detroit said classes are full for months, and wait times will worsen if schools close. He noted a rise in immigrants paying for training themselves, but also turns many away due to language barriers.
Logan Cooper of OEC Group said “there’s some room to absorb this,” while advisor Blair Robbins estimated only 5% to 10% of the workforce might be affected over time. Any resultant cost increases would come from currently depressed shipping rates.
Safety Versus Supply: A Contentious Balance
Supporters argue the crackdown is necessary for safety. Dane Rogers, CEO of Western Pacific Truck School and the Commercial Vehicle Training Association, backs enforcing 2022 training standards. “We’ve been highlighting this for years,” Rogers said, criticising schools that don't adhere to rigorous standards. “Do you want more truck drivers that are dangerous, or do you want less truck drivers that are more competent? I would go with the latter.”
Major industry groups like the American Trucking Association agree on ensuring schools properly prepare drivers for 80,000-pound vehicles. The ultimate challenge is balancing the pursuit of a safer, more compliant driver pool against the risk of deepening a long-standing shortage of qualified personnel, a situation now exacerbated by the departure of immigrant drivers who constitute roughly 20% of all US truckers.
