In an ongoing battle over Illegal Truck licenses, the federal government is putting great pressure on Colorado, threatening to withhold $24 million in federal highway funds. This comes after reports that the state has been hesitant to handle wrongly issued commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to non-domiciled drivers, creating major concerns about road safety and regulatory compliance.
Federal Highway Funds Under Threat Amid CDL Violations
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the potential punishment on Monday, citing a state-wide audit from October that found that approximately 22% of Colorado’s CDLs were issued illegally, meaning in violation of federal CDL rules. Duffy accused the state of “slow walking” the revocation process, stating Colorado did not thoroughly examine the problematic licenses, account for all impacted drivers, or remove the invalid ones despite clear notifications.
“Every day that goes by is another day unqualified, unvetted foreign truckers are jeopardizing the safety of you and your family,” Duffy said in a statement, emphasizing the risks posed by non-citizen truckers operating heavy vehicles on U.S. roads.
This enforcement action continues Duffy’s tough approach since taking office, putting highway safety first and ensuring that only properly verified drivers drive commercial vehicles capable of hauling up to 80,000 pounds of cargo.
Governor Polis Responds: A Case of “Crossed-Wires”
Colorado Governor Jared Polis reacted, describing the scenario as “crossed wires.” In his opinion, improved communication could have fixed the problem sooner. He clarified that the government has “finished the investigation and we are conducting a final review of the findings, with letters likely going out this week to CDL holders whose credentials were improperly issued.” Polis guaranteed that Colorado is working fast to cancel illegal CDLs.
The Democratic governor has been at odds with the Trump administration on a variety of issues, including recent denials of disaster funding for wildfires and flooding, as well as dismissal of plans to eliminate a federal climate research station in the state.
Broader Crackdown on Non-Domiciled CDLs and Highway Safety Concerns
The conflict revolves around Illegal Truck licenses, which allow non-domiciled drivers who do not meet federal CDL eligibility requirements to operate big commercial vehicles. These illegal CDLs raise serious highway safety concerns, as some states allegedly ignored federal CDL domicile and documentation requirements during issuance. Domiciliary restrictions have been enforced for years, but recent incidents, such as a fatal Florida mishap involving an unauthorised driver, increased enforcement efforts.
Colorado’s DMV has paused new issuances and renewals of term-limited non-domiciled CDLs indefinitely while conducting audits to ensure compliance with FMCSA criteria. This pause is intended to prevent further invalid commercial licenses from being distributed.
Nationwide Enforcement and State Compliance Challenges
Duffy’s action goes far beyond Colorado, with public outrage and financing threats aimed at numerous other states. Democratic-led jurisdictions such as New York (the fourth most recent target), California, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota, as well as Republican-run Texas and South Dakota, have experienced similar investigations.
In California, for example, authorities have already revoked about 21,000 wrongly granted CDLs in response to federal pressure; an important step that shows the potential scope of these noncompliance issues statewide.
This extensive examination, which began over the summer, aims to establish CDL standards and close loopholes that allow non-domiciled or unlicensed drivers to receive licenses. By linking compliance to federal distributions, the Department of Transportation is using financial incentives to encourage quick fixes.
As deadlines approach, Colorado’s decision might influence how other states handle similar audits and revocations. The standoff not only shows obstacles with CDL issuing and federal law enforcement, but it also raises concerns about balancing autonomy in states with national highway safety standards.Finally, the controversy over Illegal Truck licenses risks major federal highway funds for Colorado, potentially forcing more difficult infrastructure spending decisions while provoking national debates over road safety, regulatory oversight, and qualified commercial trucking.
