The U.S. Dept. of Transportation, led by Secretary Sean Duffy is highlighting a series of enforcement actions taken over the past year by the Trump Administration aimed at strengthening safety and regulatory compliance across the trucking industry. Many of the administration’s actions fall directly in line with the trucking industry’s recent work to remove bad actors from its midst.

According to reporting by CDLLife, the Trump Administration has focused on stricter enforcement of English language proficiency standards, increased scrutiny of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses, and expanded audits of training providers. Federal officials report that tens of thousands of drivers and CDLs have been removed from service as part of these efforts.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has also invested in truck parking, updated driver resource systems, and proposed regulatory changes aimed at improving working conditions and safety outcomes.

According to DOT, more than 28,000 foreign truckers no longer deliver cargo in the U.S. after states revoked their illegally issued non-domiciled commercial driver licenses, as stricter federal regulations are expected to remove nearly 200,000 drivers from hauling freight. Nationally, FMCSA Says 194,000 Drivers Could Lose CDLs

Last year, Alabama Trucking joined forces with a broad group of state and national trucking associations from across the country in support of a comprehensive policy blueprint to eliminate bad actors who exploit regulatory gaps, undermine safety, and create unfair competitive advantages in the commercial trucking industry. The action plan, The Fight for Fairness and Safety: Paving the Way for a Trucking Resurgence, addresses seven critical areas where fraudulent and illegal operators undercut law-abiding businesses, endanger public safety, and damage the reputation and morale of America’s professional truck drivers.

“Alabama’s trucking industry is built on the hard work of family-owned businesses, independent owner-operators, and professional drivers who play by the rules,” said Alabama Trucking President and CEO Mark Colson. “Bad actors who exploit loopholes in our regulatory systems are putting everyone at risk, and this is unacceptable. We are focused on solutions and resolute on seeing them implemented. By doing so, we will save lives, save small businesses, and set the table for a trucking resurgence in Alabama.”

Here in Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey recently signed the Highway Safety and Fairness Act (SB242) into law in her office on March 11, 2026. The legislation requires commercial driver license (CDL) holders operating in Alabama who hold a foreign CDL to possess valid U.S. work authorization. It also requires all CDL holders to demonstrate English language proficiency, while making it a criminal offense to present a false foreign CDL during enforcement encounters.

Meanwhile, the Trucking Resurgence action plan identifies seven major vulnerabilities that bad actors exploit, including CDL Integrity, MCMIS Overhaul, Cross-Border Integrity, Non-Domiciled CDL Reform, English Language Proficiency, Combating Trucking Fraud, and Electronic Log Integrity, among other issues and policy changes.

Updated: May 8, 2026