The US Department of Transportation launched a new employment campaign to fill the positions of immigrant drivers banned from driving following nationwide tightened English proficiency checks. The 'Freedom Haulers' (Özgür Nakliyeciler) campaign encourages veterans leaving military service to become truck drivers.
Under the campaign, veterans with experience driving large military vehicles during their service will be exempt from the driving test required to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL). Other personnel will be able to attend commercial driving courses during the last six months of their active duty.
Under the GI Bill, CDL training costs are fully covered, and some veterans also receive housing assistance during training. According to government data, more than 40,000 veterans have so far taken advantage of the program and got on the road within a few weeks. The Department of Transportation stated that the average annual salary of truck drivers is around $70,000.
Tighter controls on immigrant drivers
Starting last summer, the Department of Transportation began strictly enforcing the existing English proficiency requirement for truck drivers. The checks intensified after an accident in August in Florida, where a truck driver made an illegal U-turn and caused the deaths of three people. Secretary Sean Duffy stated that this driver, an Indian national, should not have been licensed.
Nationwide reviews uncovered numerous foreign-issued commercial licenses that remained valid after work permits expired or had been issued without citizenship checks. As a result, about 26,000 drivers were banned from driving for failing to prove English proficiency, and 30,000 commercial licenses were revoked.
New regulations and industry response
The government also plans to tighten the conditions for immigrants to obtain foreign commercial driver's licenses and to make the English test harder. Under the new rules, only H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visa holders will be able to obtain such a license. These regulations are currently being challenged in court.
While immigrants make up about 20 percent of truck drivers, foreign-issued licenses account for only 5 percent of all commercial driver's licenses, corresponding to about 200,000 drivers. Some immigrant groups, particularly the Sikh community, argue that the checks are unfair. The fact that the driver involved in the fatal Florida crash and another driver who caused a deadly accident in California last October were both Sikh has drawn attention to this community.
Industry support for veterans
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, 'Every day we are removing more dangerous foreign drivers from our roads and restoring the integrity of the American trucking industry. The Freedom Haulers campaign will reinforce this success and show former service members that now is the best time to get behind the wheel of a big rig.'
Werner Enterprises Chairman and CEO Derek Leathers said, 'Veterans make up 15 percent of our workforce and exhibit the highest levels of leadership, discipline, and technical skill that are critical to our success.' Transportation company strategist Cole Stevens emphasized that veterans' integrity, responsibility, and 'duty first' mentality make them invaluable.
