Trucking coalition says 194,000 non-domiciled CDLs affected by carrier reforms

The Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC) says a year of coordinated federal and state enforcement has resulted in sweeping changes to cross-border trucking, commercial driver licensing and highway safety.

In its “Trucking Resurgence: The Fight for Fairness and Safety Progress Report,” released July 23, the organization said actions by federal and state authorities and law enforcement agencies have significantly strengthened oversight of cross-border trucking operations and commercial driver qualifications.

TAEC represents executives from state trucking associations across the country, including Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Iowa, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Texas.

The report builds on the group’s “Trucking Resurgence” action plan released in 2025 calling for tougher enforcement against what it describes as bad actors exploiting weaknesses in trucking regulations. Cross-border trucking reforms Among the report’s biggest areas of progress is what TAEC calls “Cross-Border Workforce Integrity.”

According to the report, federal agencies expanded enforcement of English-language proficiency requirements and cabotage restrictions in border regions while increasing coordination with U. S. Customs and Border Protection.

TAEC said those efforts resulted in approximately 3,200 visa revocations tied to cabotage enforcement, one of the report’s most notable statistics. Cabotage laws generally prohibit foreign motor carriers from transporting domestic freight between two U. S. points except under limited circumstances.

The report also highlights increased enforcement activity targeting unauthorized commercial operations in border regions, stating that stronger oversight is helping create a more level competitive environment for trucking companies that comply with federal regulations.

Non-domiciled CDL reforms TAEC also pointed to significant progress involving non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses, an issue that has become one of the most closely watched regulatory developments affecting the trucking industry.

The report estimates that more than 194,000 existing non-domiciled CDL holders—roughly 97% of current license holders—will eventually become ineligible under the new federal eligibility requirements, with some states already revoking improperly issued licenses.

TAEC also said all 50 states have undergone audits of their CDL programs and non-domiciled CDL issuance as regulators work to improve oversight and ensure licenses are issued only to qualified applicants.

The group’s original action plan recommended restricting eligibility for non-domiciled CDLs, strengthening verification of immigration and work authorization documents, improving information sharing among federal agencies and states, and increasing enforcement against fraudulent licensing practices.

Many of the milestones highlighted in TAEC’s report—including FMCSA’s new non-domiciled CDL eligibility rule, increased English-language enforcement, visa revocations tied to cabotage violations, and state crackdowns on CDL fraud—have unfolded over the past year through a series of regulatory actions covered by FreightWaves.

The report represents one of the first industry efforts to compile those initiatives into a single assessment of their collective impact.

Related: Truck enforcement sweeps hit 32 drivers, 45 vehicles across US Industry says reforms are producing measurable results The report notes that more than 20 states have enacted or proposed legislation addressing CDL integrity, English-language proficiency, non-domiciled CDL oversight, cargo theft and commercial driver qualifications, while additional states have updated enforcement policies to align with recent federal initiatives.

FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said the agency remains focused on removing unsafe operators while supporting compliant carriers. “The overwhelming majority of motor carriers and professional drivers operate safely and responsibly.

Our responsibility is to support those operators by identifying bad actors, enforcing the law and closing gaps that threaten highway safety and the integrity of the trucking industry,” Barrs said in a statement.

TAEC: One year of trucking enforcement by the numbers Enforcement category Results highlighted by TAEC Visa revocations tied to cabotage enforcement 3,200 Fraudulent CDL schools shut down 550 High-risk carrier investigations 704 Carriers voluntarily ceasing operations 430 Carriers shut down by regulators 60–70 Drivers placed out of service for English-language proficiency violations More than 27,000 Noncompliant electronic logging device (ELD) platforms removed from FMCSA registry 76 ELD platforms blocked from entering the marketplace 426 Non-domiciled CDLs expected to become ineligible under new federal rules More than 194,000 States audited for CDL programs and non-domiciled CDL issuance 50 Federal investment in CDL integrity and safety $217 million CDL training providers removed from the federal Training Provider Registry Nearly 10,000 Source: Trucking Association Executives Council, Trucking Resurgence: The Fight for Fairness and Safety Progress Report (July 23, 2026).

Why it matters: The report underscores how rapidly evolving federal and state enforcement policies are changing the regulatory landscape for cross-border trucking, particularly for non-domiciled CDL holders and international carriers operating in the United States.

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