The U.S. commercial trucking industry is facing a crisis as illegal immigrant drivers pose a threat to both public safety and the economic stability of the sector. Mike Kucharski, co-owner and vice president of JKC Trucking, has raised serious concerns about the growing influence of unlicensed drivers, who he claims have been undermining the trucking business for years. Kucharski pointed to a recent federal report that implicated California for granting a commercial driver’s license to an illegal immigrant who was at fault in a fatal crash that killed three people. According to the report, Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration ignored a federal order to stop issuing non-compliant licenses, which contributed to the tragedy.
The report highlights systemic issues in California’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) system, including the improper issuance of licenses to non-domiciled drivers who were allowed to operate despite their federal work authorization having expired. Kucharski explained that these drivers, who often live in their trucks and lack social security numbers, are outcompeting legitimate businesses by offering lower prices, leading to the decline of many small American trucking companies. These drivers exploit loopholes in the licensing system, often obtaining licenses from states like California and New York before heading to other states where they can operate without proper oversight.
In response to growing public and industry concerns, the U.S. Department of Transportation has implemented new rules requiring states to verify the legal status of non-domiciled drivers through the SAVE database. However, Kucharski criticized the Trump administration for recently altering these rules to restrict certain groups, including refugees and DACA recipients, from obtaining CDLs. He emphasized that the trucking industry relies on trust, and without proper oversight, the safety of American roads is at risk. Kucharski called for urgent action to protect both the industry and the public, stressing that reform is essential not just for economic reasons, but for the safety and well-being of all road users.