During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Grassley Celebrates Efforts to Deliver Safer Roads for Families and Industry

During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Grassley Celebrates Efforts to Deliver Safer Roads for Families and Industry

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is welcoming improvements to roadway safety amid National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (September 13-19).

In a response to a Grassley oversight letter, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) touted their recent actions to prevent drivers from violating Department of Transportation (DOT) and FMCSA regulations. Additionally, the Trump administration recently announced a historic crackdown on fraud in the trucking industry, including stronger enforcement of English language proficiency requirements. The announcement comes after Grassley and other elected officials pressed for action.

"Truck drivers put in the miles to keep our economy moving and bring Iowa's world-class goods to market. I appreciate the Trump administration taking this issue seriously and responding to my oversight letters. By cracking down on fraudsters trying to game the system, this administration is standing with our truckers and working to keep America's roads safe," Grassley said.

"The state of Iowa is proud to support the truck drivers and motor carriers who build our economy," said Scott Marler, Director of the Iowa Department of Transportation. "Our commercial driver licensing programs, truck parking facilities, and highway improvements provide an environment where truckers can deliver for Iowans and across the nation."

Helping drivers get safely back on the road:

In April, Grassley pressed FMCSA regarding allegations that a network of scammers was abusing the Return-to-Duty (RTD) program to circumvent FMCSA's legally mandated recovery process and to fraudulently collect fees from truck drivers.

In its response to Grassley, FMCSA reported its recent actions to protect the integrity of the RTD program and hold fraudsters accountable for violating DOT and FMCSA regulations. This includes new identity verification requirements and plans to discontinue the self-certification process later this year.

Curbing CDL fraud:

Grassley and others pressed the Trump administration to prevent illegal immigrants and fraudsters from obtaining commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) and ensure CDL holders meet English language proficiency requirements. Numerous news reports have shown dangerous illegal immigrant drivers causing serious accidents that leave Americans severely injured or killed.

In August, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin joined other federal partners to announce a historic interagency effort to crack down on fraud in the trucking industry. The coalition is launching a nationwide audit of CDL testing and is removing over 110 CDL schools associated with thousands of drivers who failed English proficiency tests.

Combating organized retail crime:

Grassley and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) are leading the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to crack down on cargo theft and intricate retail theft schemes. Their bipartisan legislation strengthens the federal response to organized retail crime and establishes new tools to recover stolen goods and illicit proceeds. It's estimated that approximately $35 billion is lost to cargo theft each year.

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