The U.S. Department of Transportation, led by Secretary Sean P. Duffy, has announced that Pennsylvania risks losing nearly $75 million in federal funding due to violations of federal safety regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) discovered that Pennsylvania issued non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) illegally, including to foreign nationals without verifying their legal status.
Secretary Duffy emphasized the importance of revoking these licenses and correcting the identified failures in Pennsylvania's CDL program. He said, "Under President Trump, this Department is taking every measure to ensure dangerous foreign drivers aren’t illegally operating 40-ton vehicles on American roads."
The FMCSA review highlighted several issues with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's practices, such as issuing CDLs with expiration dates extending beyond the driver's authorized stay in the U.S. and failing to require proof of lawful presence before issuing a CDL.
In response, USDOT demands that Pennsylvania pause all new CDL issuances and conduct an internal audit to identify and rescind non-compliant licenses. This action follows President Trump's executive order earlier this year focusing on roadway safety.
The situation underscores broader efforts by the U.S. Department of Transportation to enhance transportation safety and efficiency across various sectors. For instance, they recently awarded $19.6 million in grants to small shipyards for modernization efforts (https://www.maritime.dot.gov/newsroom/maritime-administration-awards-nearly-20-million-funding-strengthen-us-shipyard-economic). Additionally, they announced winners for a $5 million Inclusive Design Challenge aimed at improving mobility options for people with disabilities (https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/anniversary-ada-usdot-announces-winners-its-first-ever-inclusive-design-challenge).
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