FMCSA Targets So-Called “CDL Mills”
If you have been in the trucking industry for any amount of time, you have likely heard of the “trucker shortage”, the idea that there are not enough commercial drivers on the road to fulfill the transportation needs of the nation. It goes without saying that if this is the case, then surely having more truckers would help alleviate it, but the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does not want to solve the trucker shortage by letting just anyone get behind the wheel of a big rig.
Details
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who indirectly oversees the FMCSA, says that the FMCSA is going to go after what it calls “CDL Mills”, organizations that give out Commercial Drivers Licenses at a rate that focuses on quantity over quality.
“We are going to continue the pressure. We are going to get compliance, and in the end, if it takes money, if it takes pulling states’ ability to issue CDLs, we will stop at nothing to make sure that our roads are safe,” Duffy said in a statement. “I think it begs the question, who is testing these drivers?” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “Who is taking drivers in, seeing if they speak English, and then testing them on basic skills that would allow them to be certified to then go to the DOT to get a license?”
The news was met by agreement from the OOIDA president Todd Spencer. “Years of misguided ‘driver shortage’ policies have flooded America’s roadways with poorly trained newcomers operating 80,000-pound trucks, and innocent motorists are paying the price,” said OOIDA President Todd Spencer in a statement. “Trucking is a skilled profession, not cheap labor. We applaud the Trump Administration’s commitment to restoring standards in trucking that will not only save lives, but help improve professionalism in our industry.”
Conclusion
If what Duffy says is true, and there are organizations that have been giving out CDLs to people who do not properly qualify for them, that means that any indications of a trucker shortage are about to become exacerbated. This will likely be a boon to truck drivers who passed CDL examinations with flying colors and the trucking companies that employ them, due to the basic economic principle of supply and demand. It stands to reason that safer drivers should be paid well. But as with everything, only time will tell what happens during Duffy’s tenure.
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