Some states have let unqualified foreign drivers on the road and Americans pay the price

Once again, America is mourning due to the fact that our commercialized driver’s licensing (CDL) strategy failed.

Federal authorities accidental a Kyrgyz national behind the instrumentality of a semitruck crossed into oncoming postulation successful Jay County, Indiana, killing 4 radical and injuring respective others. ICE has since arrested the driver. But for the families of those lost, enforcement aft the information is acold comfort.

Operating an 80,000-pound commercialized conveyance is not a right. It’s a responsibility. And erstwhile that work is handed to idiosyncratic who is not decently vetted nor qualified to run it, the results tin beryllium catastrophic.

The authorities of Pennsylvania issued this motortruck operator a non-domiciled CDL, a credential fixed to idiosyncratic who is legally allowed to enactment successful the U.S. but doesn’t permanently unrecorded successful the authorities issuing the licence — often overseas nationals moving nether impermanent U.S. enactment authorization. But they indispensable conscionable the aforesaid rigorous national standards arsenic each CDLs.

DOT CRACKDOWN PULLS HUNDREDS OF ENGLISH-ILLITERATE, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKERS OFF ROADS AS CRASHES MOUNT

Truck postulation heads southbound connected the Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95) toward the Trans-Manhattan Expressway and New Jersey. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Federal audits person repeatedly shown that immoderate states are cutting corners. Weak oversight and mediocre enforcement person allowed unqualified drivers to gaffe done the cracks and onto America’s highways, putting law-abiding motorists and nonrecreational motortruck drivers astatine risk.

We’ve seen the consequences before. Last summertime in Florida, a operator who was successful the state illegally killed 3 radical aft making an amerciable U-turn connected the engaged Florida Turnpike. That operator had failed his commercialized driver’s trial 10 times yet inactive held a CDL, rightfully triggering the request for enhanced authorities reappraisal and national authorities to make caller safeguards astir however CDLs are issued. 

Investigations person exposed glaring systemic failures successful states similar California, wherever audits recovered a staggering stock of non-domiciled CDLs were issued successful ways that failed to comply with national information and migration standards, including instances tied to a fatal Ontario, Calif., road crash in October that claimed 3 lives.

Professional motortruck drivers endure intensive training, strict cause and intoxicant testing, English proficiency requirements, and continuous oversight. These are halfway information protocols designed to support everyone connected our roads. When it comes to road safety, rules and regulations lone substance if they’re enforced.

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Allowing individuals who bash not conscionable these standards to run large rigs is not conscionable irresponsible. It’s outright dangerous, and the preventable crashes successful Florida and California, and present this latest clang successful Indiana are stark reminders of what tin — and does — spell wrong.

The Trump administration deserves credit for stepping successful wherever states failed. Under President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the national authorities has tightened oversight of non-domiciled CDLs, expanded audits of authorities licensing agencies and held states accountable erstwhile they neglect to verify ineligible status, qualifications and basal information requirements. But we can't halt there. As I testified connected Capitol Hill successful January, Congress has an accidental to instrumentality decisive enactment and physique connected the Department of Transportation’s ongoing efforts to reconstruct nationwide uniformity, amended the integrity of operator vetting and credentialing, and rebuild nationalist assurance successful the information and reliability of the commercialized driving workforce.

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Too galore families person already suffered unimaginable loss. We indispensable not hold for the adjacent tragic header to thrust reform. Ensuring each CDL holder is qualified is indispensable and states indispensable beryllium held accountable erstwhile they neglect to uphold national law.

America’s highways request professionalism and accountability. Anything little is simply a disservice to the American people.