In a bold move to prioritize roadway safety, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a stringent crackdown on states and carriers failing to comply with truck driver safety regulations. The announcement, made in August 2025, signals a renewed focus on enforcing federal standards, particularly targeting non-compliance with English language proficiency (ELP) requirements for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Duffy’s directive, backed by President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order, aims to restore order to what he calls a “lawless frontier” in the trucking industry. Yet, behind the public declarations, whispers suggest a broader, hidden investigation into years of overlooked safety failures that could shake the industry to its core.
Duffy’s initiative comes in the wake of a tragic Florida truck crash in July 2025, which claimed lives and exposed glaring regulatory gaps. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched a compliance investigation on August 14, scrutinizing driver qualification files and crash footage. The probe zeroed in on a driver’s license issued in New Mexico, where state police failed to administer an ELP assessment during a July 3 roadside inspection. Duffy criticized New Mexico’s lax enforcement, noting that the state has yet to adopt ELP as an out-of-service condition, despite federal mandates effective since June 25, 2025. This incident, coupled with a January 2025 West Virginia crash involving a driver needing an interpreter, underscores the urgency of Duffy’s reforms.
The Secretary’s actions build on earlier efforts to strengthen safety protocols. In April, Duffy rescinded an Obama-era policy that had relaxed ELP enforcement, a move he deemed dangerous. By May, he signed an order in Austin, Texas, ensuring that CMV drivers failing ELP requirements would be placed out of service. “America First means safety first,” Duffy declared, emphasizing that drivers must read and understand traffic signs to operate 40-ton vehicles safely. The FMCSA’s new guidance, supported by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, reinstates out-of-service criteria for ELP violations, reversing a decade of leniency that saw violations drop from 100,000 in 2015 to just 10,000 in 2024, with no drivers sidelined.
Beyond ELP enforcement, Duffy unveiled a pro-trucker package in June, allocating $275 million for truck parking expansion, slashing 1,800 words of regulatory red tape, and modernizing FMCSA’s digital tools. These measures aim to enhance driver safety and quality of life while cracking down on practices like unlawful double brokering. A nationwide audit of non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs), announced on June 27, further targets unqualified drivers, responding to allegations of exploitation in the licensing system. Duffy’s rhetoric ties these failures to “radical immigration policies,” framing the audit as a step toward protecting American families and truckers.
However, sources close to the Department of Transportation hint at a deeper motive behind Duffy’s aggressive stance. The ongoing Florida investigation, which supports the state’s criminal proceedings, may be the tip of a larger probe into systemic safety oversights spanning multiple administrations. Insiders suggest the FMCSA is quietly examining years of data, from crash reports to licensing irregularities, to uncover patterns of negligence that have endangered lives. This hidden investigation could expose motor carriers and state agencies that have skirted federal standards, potentially leading to sweeping reforms or penalties.
Duffy’s public commitment to safety is clear, but the specter of a broader inquiry adds weight to his actions. As he told reporters, the 40,000 annual roadway deaths demand incremental steps to “move the needle.” The trucking industry, a vital artery of the U.S. economy, now faces intense scrutiny. Whether this crackdown is purely about compliance or a prelude to revealing long-buried failures, Duffy’s leadership signals a turning point. For now, the nation watches as the Transportation Secretary balances visible reforms with the quiet pursuit of accountability, determined to make America’s roads safer.
