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Posted on 04/25/2026 3:24:57 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Mr. Fuller is the chief executive and founder of FreightWaves, a logistics industry news sit
The American trucking industry, which moves nearly three-quarters of the nation’s goods, has devolved into a dangerous, dysfunctional system that threatens every driver on the road, whether you’re in an 18-wheeler or the family S.U.V.
Consider a tragedy that took place on the Florida Turnpike last August. An inexperienced semi truck operator was accused of making a reckless, illegal U-turn, causing a minivan to slam into its side. Three people in the minivan — a 37-year-old woman, a 54-year-old man and the 30-year-old driver — were killed in the collision. (The driver has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges.)
Federal investigators later revealed that the truck driver, who had entered the country illegally, was issued a commercial driver’s license, or C.D.L., in California. A federal rule change, made in 2019 at the behest of the trucking industry, had allowed him to bypass the standard background and driving history checks required of Americans to obtain a C.D.L.
After the crash, regulators tested his English language proficiency and road sign recognition: He answered only two of 12 verbal questions correctly and identified just one of four signs, according to the Department of Transportation.
This wasn’t just a one-off error; it reflects a systemic failure that is killing thousands of ordinary motorists and their passengers. In 2023, 5,472 people died in crashes involving large trucks — a level of loss that would be unthinkable if it occurred in our skies.
The discrepancy in how we value human life based on the mode of transport is staggering. When the Boeing 737 Max crisis claimed 346 lives across two crashes, it triggered a global grounding of aircraft and brought the company...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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“An inexperienced semi truck operator was accused of making a reckless, illegal U-turn..”
Yeah. Inexperienced. That’s what he was. Stopped reading at that point.
We avoid freeways more when we can, and started doing that after knowing about the accident described in the article. Two illiterate ragheads murdering innocent travelers. After that, more information was given on so many more similar situations.
I-40 is 10 minutes from our house and the number of trucks is obscene. I love the fact that they’re busy because it usually indicates a positive economy. But it’s Russian Roulette when it’s likely many of the drivers are illiterate foreigners and couldn’t pass a test to get a license.
I thought Trump was cleaning this crap up?! Fine the sh-/ out of these firms.
They act as if this is something new. Dont forget Clinton bringing in a bunch of war refugee Balkans. Somehow they had a mess of fake CDLs ( thank you IL and NJ)
If I recall correctly, I believe IL officials were prosecuted over it
When a trucking company hires an illegal alien who causes a crash that kills innocent people, the person or persons who hired the illegal should be charged as an accessory to the driver’s crime.
The real story here is that the NYSlimes actually allowed it to be printed....
The solution: any illegal caught driving a commercial truck immediately goes to jail. The truck and ALL contents of cab and trailer are confiscated and sold at auction
Trucking companies are not willing to take that loss.
“Approximately 54 percent of all fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred in rural areas, 27 percent occurred on Interstate highways, and 13 percent fell into both categories by occurring on rural Interstate highways.”
“Single-vehicle crashes (including crashes that involved a bicyclist, pedestrian, nonmotorized vehicle, etc.) made up 21 percent of all fatal crashes.”
“Thirty-nine percent of all fatal crashes, 24 percent of all injury crashes, and 19 percent of all property damage only crashes involving large trucks occurred at night (6:00 pm to 6:00 am).”
“Overturn (rollover) was the first harmful event in 4 percent of all fatal crashes involving large trucks and 2 percent of all nonfatal crashes involving large trucks.”
“The critical precrash event for 63 percent of the large trucks in fatal crashes was another vehicle, person, animal, or object in the large truck’s lane or encroaching into it. Twenty-four percent of the large trucks in fatal crashes had critical precrash events of their own movement or loss of control.”
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2022-1
When the September 11th attacks occurred, there had already been a months-long investigation of gov workers selling hazmat licenses to foreigners. Many if not most seemed to be muslims. I know it was happening in Pittsburgh and Tennessee. I woman set to testify in TN was murdered a day or so before.
the reason air travel is safer is because of the investment in and amount of training of the pilots.
If truck drivers and automobile drivers were better trained those forms of transport would be safer too.
We choose how much we are willing to invest into the improvement of safety and the reduction of deaths.
States that hand out licenses to lesser trained illegals should be ashamed.
Agreed, I caught that too. The writer must be having trouble with his meds in order to have a clear thinking moment.
A 4 wheeler runs a stop sign and succumbs to the underside of a passing tractor trailers trailer, did the truck actually kill the dead?
How about those who catch a bullet in the commission of a felony, do they also count against the violence that guns “ wreck” upon the citizenry?
“They “wreck” part is borrowed from junior va represponse that the illustriously gerrymandered
Installed and still stuck wuth in place loiuse lucas (also never charged violence inciter) as wells her the once great state of virginia rep????
Damn
Possible solutions are good. Thanks for posting your thoughts.
Thanks for the information.
The real scandal here is that the States are issuing licenses to people that fail the test.
The driver in the article could only correctly identify one of the four signs shown him.
He could not understand English.
It is impossible that he passed his written driver's test.
California DOT is issuing commercial drivers licenses with out regard to road safety.
That man should not be operating a bicycle on US roads.
If truck drivers and automobile drivers were better trained those forms of transport would be safer too.
I am not arguing that you are wrong but I am going to submit that the real reason that air travel is safer is because pilots are more likely to follow the rules.
Most drivers know the rules of the road but many choose not to follow those rules.
Exceeding the speed limit would be the most common rule violation.
Second would be assured safe distance violation. (tailgating)
Texting while driving is probably the most common violation that leads to an accident today.
Europe is much stricter with their licensing of drivers.
I wonder if their roads are safer.
That requires an act of legislators (federal, i.e., Congress) and would fall to republicans.
I won’t hold my breath.
But I like the concept.
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