A new political and professional debate is brewing in the state of Oklahoma around freight transportation. Legislators have put forward initiatives that directly affect truck drivers who are not U.S. citizens, as well as the companies that hire them. These proposals are already causing concern in the industry and could impact the labor market, safety, and interstate transportation.
The discussion involves several bills being considered in the Oklahoma legislature. Collectively, they aim for stricter control over who is allowed to operate commercial vehicles within the state.
Key proposals include:
- a ban on non-domiciled CDL drivers working in Oklahoma, even if the license is issued by another state;
- enhanced verification of citizenship or legal immigration status when obtaining a CDL;
- mandatory confirmation of English language proficiency;
- fines for transportation companies, up to $10,000 per driver.
A detailed review of these initiatives was published by the industry-specific publication Land Line Media, which notes that such measures may go beyond the usual federal practices.
A separate focus is on English language proficiency. Formally, this requirement already exists at the federal level, but in recent months, authorities have spoken about its stricter enforcement in practice.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) emphasizes that the ability to read road signs and communicate with inspectors is directly linked to safety. In one clarification, the regulator noted:
“A driver’s inability to communicate in English can present serious safety risks during roadside inspections and emergency situations.”
This position is supported by inspection organizations, but critics point out that the formal link between accent or language level and accident rates has not yet been sufficiently proven.
Importantly, Oklahoma's initiatives are being discussed against the backdrop of an unstable federal agenda. Recently, the FMCSA issued a temporary rule aimed at tightening control over the issuance of non-domiciled CDL, but this rule was suspended by a federal court. We wrote about this earlier.
In fact, this means legal uncertainty: federal requirements are temporarily “frozen,” and individual states, including Oklahoma, are trying to act independently.
For the freight market, several consequences are possible:
- a reduction in the available pool of drivers, especially against the backdrop of an already existing labor shortage;
- increased legal and compliance risks for carriers operating in multiple states;
- enhanced inspections and more frequent roadside stops;
- potential legal disputes between states and federal authorities.
A representative of the transportation industry expressed concerns in a private comment to the media:
“If every state starts introducing its own driver admission rules, interstate transportation will become a legal maze.”
The contrast with Oklahoma is particularly noticeable in the example of New Jersey. Just a few days ago, we analyzed the situation in detail, where this state resumed issuing non-domiciled CDL after the federal temporary FMCSA rule was suspended by the court.
The key point in New Jersey’s position is the absence of its own restrictions beyond the federal ones. A representative of the state's transportation department directly noted:
“The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission continues to issue non-domiciled CDLs in full compliance with Federal and State laws and regulations.”
This is where the fundamental divergence of approaches becomes apparent. While New Jersey operates on the logic of “if the federal rule is not in effect — we return to previous procedures,” Oklahoma is discussing the opposite scenario: introducing local restrictions regardless of the federal pause.
In practice, this means that the same driver with legal status and a valid non-domiciled CDL can be a fully legal market participant in one state — and simultaneously be outside the law in another.
Oklahoma's initiatives are not just local politics but part of a broader discussion about safety, migration, and the future of the freight market in the U.S. While federal rules remain the subject of legal proceedings, it is the states that can set the tone. For drivers and transportation companies, it is now critically important to monitor legislative changes and prepare for possible scenarios today.
Additional regulatory positions on licensing and safety issues can be found in the official clarifications of the FMCSA.