Federal and state authorities removed nearly 2,000 unqualified truckers and vehicles from American highways during the first phase of a nationwide safety initiative, officials said.
The operation, known as “Operation SafeDRIVE,” took place January 13–15 across 26 states and Washington, D.C., targeting high-risk freight corridors and other areas prone to crashes involving commercial vehicles.
The campaign comes amid growing concerns over accidents caused by illegal aliens operating large trucks who were granted commercial licenses despite failing English proficiency requirements, contributing to a notable rise in fatal crashes.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), working alongside state law enforcement, conducted 8,215 inspections during the three-day operation.
Officials placed 704 drivers out of service, including nearly 500 who failed English proficiency requirements, and removed 1,231 vehicles from the road.
The effort also led to 56 arrests, including cases related to driving under the influence and illegal presence in the United States.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the operation a “whole-of-government approach” to enforcing safety standards.
“Operation SafeDRIVE shows what happens when we work together with our law enforcement partners to pull unqualified drivers and vehicles off American roads,” Duffy said. “We need strong standards in place to protect American families and reduce road accidents.”
FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs emphasized that the initiative was preventative.
“This operation was about safety,” he said. “When drivers ignore the rules, operate without proper qualifications, or get behind the wheel impaired, they put all of our lives at risk.”
The enforcement effort comes amid a series of high-profile truck-related incidents involving unqualified or unlawfully present drivers.
On Jan. 17, a semi-truck struck a Washington State snowplow on I-90 near Kittitas, sending the vehicle into a median.
The driver, Nursultan Rysbekov, an illegal alien, was arrested for DUI and endangering an emergency worker. Immigration authorities later placed a detainer on him, according to The Post Millennial.
In Lacey, Juan Hernandez-Santos, a Mexican national without a commercial driver’s license, caused a six-vehicle pileup involving a school bus.
Authorities noted he had prior DUI convictions and previous deportations but was released by local officials under sanctuary policies.
In separate incidents, illegal aliens in Indiana, Florida, Oregon, and Southern California were implicated in fatal semi-truck crashes, some involving multiple deaths.
In Indiana, Gurpreet Singh and Jasveer Singh, who held California commercial licenses, were arrested after authorities found 309 pounds of cocaine in a sleeper berth during a routine inspection.
The federal campaign underscores the FMCSA’s role in preventing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving commercial vehicles.
The agency oversees licensing, safety standards, inspections, and training initiatives for truckers while partnering with state law enforcement and nonprofit organizations.
Operation SafeDRIVE also highlights ongoing concerns about commercial driver qualification and compliance, particularly among drivers issued licenses under lax or improper oversight, The National Desk noted.
Following the recent crashes and the rise in accidents involving illegal aliens operating trucks without sufficient English skills, Duffy announced a nationwide audit of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to ensure only qualified individuals operate large trucks on U.S. roads
The enforcement operation covered Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.
Officials said the campaign will continue in future phases, combining enforcement, inspections, and education to remove unsafe drivers and vehicles from the nation’s highways while promoting compliance with federal safety standards.
