The Trump Administration just pulled nearly 2,000 unqualified truckers off American highways in a massive three-day enforcement sweep that revealed nearly 500 drivers couldn’t even speak English well enough to meet basic safety requirements. Three-Day Crackdown Reveals Widespread Safety Violations Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration officers partnered with state law enforcement across 26 states and Washington, D.C., to conduct 8,215 commercial vehicle inspections targeting major freight corridors and high-risk locations. The coordinated enforcement effort identified dangerous driving behaviors, unqualified operators, and unsafe vehicles that posed immediate threats to public safety. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the results on February 6, 2026, highlighting the operation’s success in removing immediate hazards from American roadways. The enforcement action targeted fundamental qualifications that commercial drivers must meet to legally operate massive vehicles alongside families traveling to work and school. This is absolutely terrible. Why would they hire somebody who isn’t even legal to be here and probably doesn’t know how to drive the truck !lock him up. unforgivable. https://t.co/zWDdulacgq — lorijoan (@ljpalk) February 6, 2026 English Proficiency Violations Dominate Enforcement Actions Of the 704 drivers placed out of service, nearly 500 were removed specifically for English proficiency violations. This represents a staggering 71 percent of all driver removals stemming from inability to communicate effectively in English. Federal regulations require commercial drivers to read and speak English sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records. The ability to communicate during emergencies, understand law enforcement instructions, and comprehend safety warnings is not merely bureaucratic red tape—it’s a matter of life and death on highways where split-second decisions prevent catastrophic accidents involving 80,000-pound vehicles traveling at highway speeds. Arrests Include Impaired and Illegal Drivers Beyond out-of-service orders, law enforcement made 56 arrests during the three-day operation. These arrests included drivers operating commercial vehicles while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, representing an unconscionable disregard for public safety. Additionally, arrests were made for illegal presence violations, indicating foreign nationals operating commercial vehicles without legal authorization to be in the United States. FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs emphasized that when drivers ignore rules, operate without proper qualifications, or get behind the wheel impaired, they put all lives at risk. The combination of impairment, illegal status, and language barriers created a perfect storm of safety hazards that the previous administration apparently allowed to persist unchecked. Unsafe Vehicles Removed From Service The operation placed 1,231 vehicles out of service for safety violations, representing mechanical defects serious enough to pose imminent hazards. These unsafe vehicles included trucks with defective brakes, steering systems, tires, or other critical components that could cause catastrophic failures. Federal inspectors are authorized to immediately ground any commercial vehicle that fails to meet minimum safety standards until repairs are completed and verified. The removal of over 1,200 dangerous vehicles demonstrates the scale of negligence that had been allowed to flourish. Commercial trucks require regular maintenance and inspection, yet these vehicles were operating on public highways with American families despite failing basic safety requirements. This represents a fundamental breakdown in enforcement that endangered every driver sharing the road with these rolling hazards. WFAA investigation reveals how trucking companies avoid authorities, with deadly consequences. Our nation's highways are now overrun by ghost fleets mostly being operated by illegal alien truck drivers in possession of illicit Non-Domicile CDLs. Great reporting by… pic.twitter.com/sWww6Im3L6 — American Truckers (@atutruckers) February 2, 2026 Trump Administration Emphasizes Whole-of-Government Approach Secretary Duffy framed Operation SafeDRIVE as demonstrating what coordinated federal-state enforcement can accomplish when officials prioritize protecting American families over lax oversight. The operation required collaboration between federal FMCSA officials and state law enforcement partners across more than half the nation. Duffy stated the Trump Administration requires a whole-of-government approach to ensure strong safety standards are in place to protect American families and reduce road accidents. This represents a dramatic shift from the regulatory turbulence of 2025, when trucking companies faced inconsistent enforcement. The language of “first wave” in official announcements suggests additional phases may be planned, signaling sustained commitment to removing unqualified operators rather than conducting isolated publicity stunts that fail to address systemic problems. Sources: Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy’s Operation SafeDRIVE Results in Removal of Nearly 2,000 Unqualified Truckers from American Roads and Arrests Operation SafeDRIVE: Nearly 2,000 Unqualified Truckers Removed, At Least 500 Who Can’t Speak English Operation Safe Driver Enforcement Blitz: CVSA Set Dates, Autonomous Vehicle Bill Stopped Operation Safe Driver Week to Begin July 11 Operation Safe Driver Week to Target Reckless, Careless Driving