09/03/2026
The trucking industry could be preparing to lose more than 200,000 drivers.
New federal restrictions on non-domiciled CDLs were already projected to disqualify roughly 200,000 current credential holders.
Now, as more states consider restricting or eliminating these licenses altogether, the actual number of drivers leaving the workforce could be even higher.
Regardless of where you stand on the regulation, the workforce impact is worth paying attention to.
An already competitive pool of qualified drivers could get smaller, putting even more pressure on recruiting, retention and workforce planning for fleets across the country.
For logistics companies, this is another reminder that waiting until you desperately need drivers is becoming a riskier strategy.
Driver availability is quickly becoming something companies need to plan for, not react to.