The Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC) has filed a court petition seeking to force federal regulators to decertify the commercial driver\u2019s license programs of New York and California.<\/p>\n
The petition, filed June 10, asks the court to review actions by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration<\/a> and the U.S. Department of Transportation and order the agencies to revoke the authority of New York and California to issue CDLs, escalating a dispute over immigration-related licensing policies and English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers.<\/p>\n SBTC argues that FMCSA has already determined both states were in \u201csubstantial noncompliance\u201d with federal CDL regulations and therefore must be decertified under federal law. The organization contends that federal statutes require the transportation secretary to prohibit a state from issuing CDLs once such a determination is made.<\/p>\n The filing, made in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, specifically challenges FMCSA\u2019s April 16 final determination regarding New York and also seeks relief related to a Jan. 7 determination involving California.\u00a0<\/p>\n SBTC alleges the agency improperly failed to act on a petition it submitted in May 2025 requesting decertification orders against several states, including New York and California.<\/p>\n Virginia crash cited in petition<\/p>\n The lawsuit comes less than two weeks after a fatal bus crash on Interstate 95 in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens more.<\/p>\n According to the court filing, SBTC points to the May 29 crash as evidence that stronger enforcement of federal licensing standards is needed. The organization alleges the bus driver involved held a New York-issued CDL despite concerns about English-language proficiency.<\/p>\n The crash involved a bus operated by E&P Travel Inc. Federal investigators are examining the company\u2019s connections to a broader network of bus operators in the Northeast, according to CBS News<\/a>. The driver, identified by CBS News as Jing S. Dong of Staten Island, New York, faces five felony involuntary manslaughter charges.\u00a0<\/p>\n Compliance findings at center of dispute<\/p>\n SBTC\u2019s petition centers on FMCSA\u2019s nationwide review of state CDL programs following changes to federal rules governing non-domiciled commercial driver\u2019s licenses.<\/p>\n The coalition says FMCSA\u2019s audits initially identified 24 states and the District of Columbia as being in substantial noncompliance with federal CDL requirements. According to the filing, New York and California ultimately received final notices of substantial noncompliance after federal reviews of their handling of non-domiciled CDL and permit applications.<\/p>\n The petition alleges New York\u2019s noncompliance rate exceeded 55%, while California\u2019s was about 25% during federal audits. SBTC argues those findings legally trigger mandatory decertification orders.<\/p>\n FMCSA previously warned multiple states that they could face funding consequences or additional enforcement actions if they failed to comply with federal CDL standards for non-domiciled drivers.<\/p>\n Latest chapter in broader legal battle<\/p>\n The lawsuit follows a separate high-profile challenge brought by Florida against California and Washington.<\/p>\n In May, the U.S. Supreme Court declined Florida\u2019s request to file an original-action lawsuit alleging California and Washington violated federal law by issuing CDLs to undocumented immigrants.\u00a0<\/p>\n The case stemmed from a fatal crash on Florida\u2019s Turnpike involving a truck driver who reportedly held a California-issued CDL and had previously been licensed in Washington.<\/p>\n Upcoming FreightWaves Events<\/p>\n AI<\/p>\n Supply Chain AI Symposium<\/p>\n Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.<\/p>\n July 15, 2026<\/p>\n The Old Post \u2022 Chicago, IL<\/p>\n Register Now<\/a><\/p>\n FreightTech<\/p>\n F3: Future of Freight Festival<\/p>\n Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga – plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.<\/p>\n October 27, 2026 \u2013 October 28, 2026<\/p>\n The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo \u2022 Chattanooga, TN<\/p>\n Register Now<\/a><\/p>\n \n AI Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.<\/p>\n
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