Posted on 11/13/2025 11:00:28 AM PST by nickcarraway
Now many bus, semi-truck, and construction equipment drivers can’t legally perform their work. Feds say they weren’t ever “legal” anyway.
California’s commercial licensing system just hit a major reset. This week, the state announced plans to revoke roughly 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses. The U.S. Department of Transportation says they “shouldn’t have been issued in the first place.”
The move follows months of political tension and a nationwide audit triggered by a deadly crash in Florida involving an undocumented semi-truck driver.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said the revocations stem from violations of existing state law, not immigration status But he stopped short of giving specifics.
Meanwhile, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy repeatedly frames the issue as “proof” that California let unauthorized, “dangerous” drivers behind the wheel of semis and buses.
In a press release, the U.S. DOT stated that California officials were clearly not intending on enforcing the federal mandate requiring drivers speak English.
His department already withheld $40 million in federal funds from the state.
In doing so, it threatened to cut another $160 million. To relieve the pressure, the agency insists California must prove it’s enforcing federal English-language and eligibility rules for commercial licenses.
New federal rules, announced in September, now limit commercial driver’s license eligibility to just three types of visa holders H-2A for agricultural workers, H-2B for temporary non-agricultural workers, and E-2 for investors.
That narrows the pool from about 200,000 noncitizen commercial drivers nationwide to around 10,000 who’ll still qualify under the revised guidelines. That’s a 95% slash.
States must now verify every applicant’s immigration status through a federal database, and any new commercial license will automatically expire when the holder’s visa does.
Newsom’s office argued the 17,000 licenses in question were issued legally under the guidance of the Department of Homeland Security before the new rules even existed
Each driver, they said, had a valid federal work authorization at the time.
Still, affected drivers are being notified their licenses will expire in 60 days.
The situation recalls other recent licensing problems uncovered across the country Earlier this year, we reported on a clerk’s office in Kentucky. A whistleblower said coworkers sold driver’s licenses under the table for $200 apiece, leading to nearly 2,000 revocations and a criminal probe.
In another case, a trucker in Oklahoma was caught hauling freight with a valid New York CDL issued to “No Name Given,” a clerical breakdown that Homeland Security later called “a gap in state verification.”
California’s sweep isn’t tied to fraud on that scale, but it underscores how fragile the licensing system can be when enforcement lags behind political battles.
In any case, today, 17,000 truckers face losing the credentials that keep them employed, while state and federal leaders continue to argue over who’s actually to blame.
Driver’s licensing systems are never perfect, no matter the state. But the trucking, transportation, and construction industries are sure to suffer from their suddenly shrunk driver pool.
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Got caught giving CDLs to illegals?
17,000???
What is that going to do to commerce?
American truckers wont miss the foot washers in the rest room.
The relatives of the people that died in Florida have a case against the state of California and Washington in issuing those CDL’s I think
Makes it a whole lot safer.
But I know what you are addressing.
Cue liberal judge to overrule in 3...2...1....
DMV systems are never perfect, no matter the state.
Indeed I’m dealing with S.C. and California they say my car has two titles.
It doesn’t and they have NO idea how it happened.
They are as helpful as a screen door on a submarine.
Looks like Oprah was giving them out. You get a license and you get a license and you get a license.
Is your care a 1932 Ford?
Daum! Yesterday, I just called for this to be done ...
Newsome doesn’t want illegals with CA drivers licenses killing people during his run for the Dem nomination, not a good look.
CYA Newsom argued 17,000 licenses were issued “legally”
under DHS guidance before the new rules even existed
Other CDL licensing problems uncovered across the country:
<><>A whistleblower said a clerk’s office in Ky sold licenses under the table for $200 apiece,
<><>this lead to nearly 2,000 revocations and a criminal probe.
<><>an Indian trucker in Oklahoma had a valid NY CDL issued to “No Name Given,”
<><>deemed a clerical breakdown; DHS called it “a gap in state verification.”
<><>Cali’s cancellation sweep isn’t tied to fraud on that scale,
<><>but underscores the problem when enforcement lags behind political battles.
FTA—New federal rules, announced in September, now limit commercial driver’s license eligibility to just three types of visa holders
<><>H-2A for agricultural workers,
<><>H-2B for temporary non-agricultural workers,
<><>and E-2 for investors.
That narrows the pool from about 200,000 noncitizen commercial drivers nationwide to around 10,000 who’ll still qualify under the revised guidelines......a 95% slash.
States must now verify every applicant’s immigration status through a federal database, and any new commercial license will automatically expire when the holder’s visa does.
Just wondering how many of those who got bogus CDL licenses ALSO GOT bogus voter registrations?
And every person who interacts with the Kalifornia DMV (regular license, CDL, registration, etc) EVERY person, legal, illegal, feline, whatever, is registered to vote.
I have been seeing an increase in flatbed trucking rates the last couple months.
It is not due to an increase in diesel either.
One of my mills stated that:
“trucking is a b#tch for everyone now”
This means that the rates we pay per mile to transport something have gone up. It is inflationary.
Less drivers, less trucks available, if demand stays the same, prices go up incrementally. ECON 101
No a 2020 what a strange question
it was a joke. A 1932 Ford is referred to as a Deuce, at least I think so I’m not really a car guy. A deuce, two titles.
I bought the car in S.C. moved to Ca got a clean title sold the car in Indiana and Indiana says S.C. issued a second title called I spoke to S.C. DMV (5) times they checked their data base and their notional data base and have no idea where it was sent or the name on it.
Sounds like Billy Bob at the DMV is issuing titles for bucks.
Uh huh. Sure, Gavin.
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