America’s trucking industry keeps our economy moving forward.From medicine and fresh produce to fuel and everyday essentials, truckers carry more than 71% of our nation’s freight.If the trucks stop, America stops.That is why President Donald Trump and I recently launched Freedom Haulers — a first-of-its-kind interagency hiring campaign to recruit military veterans into the trucking industry and clear the road to get these patriots behind the wheel even faster.TRUMP PROMOTES FREEDOM HAULERS INITIATIVE TO FAST-TRACK MILITARY VETERANS INTO TRUCKING JOBSDriving a rig should be a proud, stable career.
And for generations of working Americans, it was.Trucking provided a reliable path to the middle class and built communities across the country.
But open border policies and widespread fraud turned a proud profession into the Wild West.A big rig using a high-tech electric dolly with its own motor and a battery pack.(Revoy)Fraudulent driving schools sprouted everywhere, safety rules were ignored and tens of thousands of dangerous foreign drivers were handed the keys to 80,000-pound rigs.
The consequence? Innocent families tragically killed in avoidable crashes across the country.Hardworking Americans saw their wages plummet.
Family-run American trucking companies were pushed to the edge of bankruptcy.I have met many of these truckers.They are truly the unsung heroes of our everyday lives–and the way they were treated is unacceptable.Thankfully once elected, Trump put his foot down and said enough is enough.TRUMP ADMIN TRUCKING CRACKDOWN LANDS 51 IMMIGRATION DETENTIONS, 36 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY VIOLATIONSIn the last year, my department has launched a sweeping crackdown to restore law and order on our roads.
We’ve shut down 8,000 shady driving schools, knocked 26,000 drivers out of service who could not speak basic English or read road signs, and revoked more than 30,000 illegally issued licenses to unvetted foreign drivers.The result? Fraudsters are on t...