Truck Driver Licensing and Safety Oversight Under Fire: CTA Responds

Source: Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA)

A fatal truck crash in Florida this week has reignited concerns about the integrity of the Commercial Driver Licensing (CDL) system in the United States and immigration policies tied to the trucking industry.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said federal investigations had already uncovered “serious red flags” in how some states issue CDLs. His comments were quickly followed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who announced an immediate halt to visa issuance for truck drivers operating in the U.S. “The increasing number of foreign drivers behind the wheel of large tractor-trailers is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio stated.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) warns Ottawa and provincial governments not to ignore this wake-up call. The Alliance is urging Canadian authorities to tighten oversight of commercial driver licensing and crack down on non-compliant fleets, stressing that Canada’s own system faces vulnerabilities similar to those exposed in the U.S.

According to CTA, Canadian trucking has seen the rise of fleets exploiting loopholes in oversight regimes, jeopardizing safety and labour rights while undermining compliant operators. CBC investigations in 2024 and 2025 reported on forged documents, bribery, substandard training, and unsafe fleets, raising red flags about Canada’s driver licensing integrity.

The Alliance cautions that if U.S. restrictions are applied universally, safe and compliant Canadian fleets—long recognized among the safest in North America—could face unintended harm. CTA insists the Canadian government must act now by introducing measures such as a Known Employer Program to block unscrupulous ownership groups from immigration access, and by deploying more enforcement resources on highways and inspection stations.