President Donald J. Trump presents FedEx truck driver Tina Peterson with a commemorative key on the South Lawn of the White House Thursday, April 16, 2020, during an event recognizing the front line efforts of truck drivers during the COVID-19 crisis. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
Newsweek reports a trade group representing the trucking industry is supporting Secretary of State Marco Rubio's pause of work visas for immigrant truckers, despite the halt potentially aggravating work shortages in the U.S. trucking industry.
Rubio’s announcement followed a fatal crash on a Florida highway earlier this month involving a trucker from India who officials confirmed was in the country illegally. Newsweek reports preliminary findings by the Department of Transportation (DOT) revealed the driver failed assessments on his English language proficiency and his understanding of U.S. highway traffic rules.
Rubio did not reference the fatal accident at the time of his announcement, reports Newsweek, but did claim in a post on X that the increasing number of foreign truckers was "endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers."
READ MORE: This MAGA lawmaker 'blundered' — and is showing he’s a 'vindictive bully': legal expert
In a statement released Thursday, Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), said his group supported the move, and that the issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) "needs serious scrutiny, including the enforcement of entry-level driver training standards."
“At a minimum, we need better accounting of how many non-domiciled CDLs are being issued, which is why we applaud Transportation Secretary Duffy for launching a nationwide audit in June upon our request,” Spear told Newsweek. “… We also believe a surge in enforcement of key regulations — including motor carrier compliance — is necessary to prevent bad actors from operating on our nation's highways, and we'll continue to partner with federal and state authorities to identify where those gaps in enforcement exist."
Industry reporters claims many employed in the trucking industry supported Trump for president.
As part of his crackdown on immigration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Duffy to tighten regulations on English proficiency for commercial drivers in April, despite English language requirements already being included in federal regulations.
In February, trucking industry newsletter Matrack reported The U.S. trucking industry faces a severe driver shortage, “with a projected shortfall of 160,000 by 2030, disrupting supply chains and increasing costs.” It added that the aging workforce and CDL licensing challenges, combined with low pay, health concerns and high turnover, plague the industry.
READ MORE: IRS scrambles to rehire thousands of workers in 'significant reversal' of Trump layoffs
“Long-haul trucking has a turnover rate of over 90 percent in large companies, reported Matrack. “This means that almost every driver in the industry will leave their job within a year. Long hours, stressful working conditions, and time away from home make the job unattractive.”
Labor Department data said that the number of foreign-born truckers in the U.S. comprise around 18 percent of the total workforce, said Newsweek.
Read the Newsweek report at this link.