FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2026
Tennessee Trucking Association Highlights Significant Progress in Crackdown on Illegal Trucking Operations
Federal and state enforcement efforts strengthen highway safety and industry integrity
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Trucking Association joined trucking organizations nationwide in recognizing significant federal and state progress to remove illegal operators, strengthen regulatory oversight, and protect the motor carriers and professional drivers who follow the rules.
The findings are documented in a new report from the Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC) and reflect a continued partnership among the trucking industry, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), state governments, and law enforcement.
Since TAEC released Trucking Resurgence: The Fight for Fairness and Safety last fall, federal and state officials have taken action across the plan’s key priorities, producing measurable results nationally and in Tennessee.
In Tennessee, the Tennessee Highway Patrol has placed 800 commercial drivers out of service for violations of federal English-language proficiency requirements. Tennessee also enacted Public Chapter 1070 (HB 1706/SB 1587), effective July 1, 2026, making it a Class A misdemeanor for an unlawfully present individual to operate a commercial motor vehicle and requiring law enforcement notification to federal immigration authorities upon arrest. The law also emphasizes employer accountability, with protections for employers that use E-Verify or maintain a documented system to verify the immigration status of CDL holders.
“The progress we are seeing is a direct result of industry, government, and law enforcement working together to address weaknesses that have allowed unsafe and illegal operations to go unchecked,” said Donna England, president and CEO of the Tennessee Trucking Association. “Tennessee’s trucking companies take safety and compliance seriously. They invest in qualified drivers, well-maintained equipment, and strong safety programs every day. Consistent enforcement helps ensure those companies are not placed at a competitive disadvantage by operators who do not follow the same rules.”
The national progress report highlights extensive enforcement and reform efforts, including:
- Nearly 10,000 CDL schools were removed from the federal Training Provider Registry, including 550 fraudulent schools that were shut down;
- $217 million in new federal investments in safety and CDL integrity;
- 704 investigations of high-risk carriers, with 430 carriers voluntarily ceasing operations and another 60 to 70 shut down;
- 3,200 visa revocations tied to cabotage enforcement;
- Audits of all 50 states’ CDL programs and non-domiciled CDL issuance;
- More than 194,000 non-domiciled CDLs will no longer qualify under strengthened federal requirements;
- More than 27,000 drivers were placed out of service for English-language proficiency violations; and
- 76 noncompliant electronic logging device platforms were removed from the approved registry, and another 426 were blocked from entering the marketplace.
“FMCSA’s mission is to prevent crashes, fatalities and injuries involving large trucks and buses, and that requires a regulatory system with no room for fraud or deliberate noncompliance,” said FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs. “The overwhelming majority of motor carriers and professional drivers operate safely and responsibly. Our responsibility is to support those operators by identifying bad actors, enforcing the law, and closing gaps that threaten highway safety and the integrity of the trucking industry. The progress reflected in this report shows what is possible when government, law enforcement, and industry work together, and we remain committed to building on these results.”
The original Trucking Resurgence plan identified seven areas where bad actors were exploiting weaknesses in existing systems: CDL integrity, federal motor carrier safety data, cross-border workforce integrity, non-domiciled CDLs, English-language proficiency, trucking fraud, and electronic logging devices.
The plan’s recommendations focused on better use of existing authority, stronger verification, and more consistent enforcement rather than imposing new requirements on carriers that are already operating safely and legally.
The Tennessee Trucking Association has supported the Trucking Resurgence initiative since its inception and will continue working closely with the American Trucking Associations, FMCSA, Congress, state officials, and law enforcement to strengthen driver qualifications, improve regulatory oversight, and ensure unsafe and illegal operations are held accountable. “We are encouraged by the progress that has been made, but this is not the time to let up,” England said. “The goal is not simply to remove bad actors from the system. It is to build a stronger enforcement framework that consistently identifies unsafe operations, protects the motoring public, and rewards the carriers and professional drivers who do the right thing every day. Continued coordination between industry and enforcement agencies will be critical to sustaining this progress.”
The complete Trucking Resurgence Progress Report and original action plan are available at www.truckingresurgence.com.
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About the Tennessee Trucking Association
For more than 95 years, the Tennessee Trucking Association has served as the voice of Tennessee’s trucking industry, representing more than 400 motor carriers and allied companies. TTA advocates for highway safety, sound public policy, and a strong business environment while providing education, advocacy, and resources to help its members operate safely and successfully. For more information, visit tntrucking.org.
