Title: "US Department of Transportation Raises Alarm Over Illegally Issued Commercial Trucking Licenses in New York
The US Department of Transportation has raised concerns about the issuance of commercial trucking licenses in New York, with more than half of them being given to foreign-born drivers in the US illegally. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has threatened to withhold $73 million in federal highway funding if the issue is not addressed promptly. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found a 53% failure rate in the review of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses issued by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles.
Duffy emphasized that the high number of illegally issued licenses is a serious matter and called on Governor Hochul to take immediate action by revoking these licenses. The audit conducted by the FMCSA sampled 200 CDL records, revealing that 107 of them were unlawfully issued. The New York DMV was found to be issuing 8-year licenses to foreign drivers for non-REAL ID licenses, regardless of their legal status.
The Department of Transportation highlighted that the state DMV's practices of issuing commercial licenses based on expired lawful presence documents are unacceptable. Duffy has given Hochul's administration a 30-day deadline to respond to the situation. He urged the state to revoke all illegally issued CDLs, halt the issuance of new licenses or learner’s permits, and conduct a comprehensive audit of the CDL program.
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs stressed the urgency of the situation, stating that New York must act promptly to address the deviations from federal regulations in the CDL program. The integrity of the state's CDL program has been compromised, and immediate action is necessary to rectify the situation. Governor Hochul's representatives have not yet provided a response to the issue.
In conclusion, the Department of Transportation's findings regarding the issuance of commercial trucking licenses in New York have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the CDL program. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's threat to withhold federal highway funding underscores the urgency of addressing the issue promptly. Governor Hochul's administration is urged to take immediate action to revoke illegally issued licenses, conduct a comprehensive audit, and ensure compliance with federal regulations to maintain the integrity of the state's CDL program.