Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, June 3, 2026:
Texas ends non-English CDL testing, resumes issuing H-2A non-domiciled CDLs
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced Monday, June 1, that, effective immediately, all Texas CDL and commercial learner permit (CLP) knowledge exams will be administered in English only.
The change aligns Texas’ testing procedures with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) English language proficiency requirements and will help ensure that all newly licensed commercial drivers have the communication skills necessary to operate safely on Texas roads, DPS said.
Previously, CDL knowledge tests were offered in both English and Spanish. The hands-on CDL skills test, which includes pre-trip inspection, basic control skills and the road test, has always been conducted in English only.
Applicants scheduled for CDL/CLP knowledge testing on or after June 1 should be prepared to complete all written and automated knowledge exams in English. Interpreters for these exams are prohibited. Updated study materials for these exams, as well as the Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver's Handbook, are available to applicants free of charge on the DPS website.
DPS added that its personnel on Texas roads, along with other certified commercial vehicle inspectors, will continue to conduct English language proficiency evaluations during routine traffic stops and at weigh stations.
Also on Monday, Texas DPS announced it has been approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to resume the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs and CLPs for individuals with H-2A (temporary agricultural workers) status -- one of three lawful presence status categories still eligible for CDLs.
At this time, Texas has only been approved to process H-2A CDL/CLP transactions. The resumption of issuance of H-2B (Non-Agricultural Workers) and E-2 (Treaty Investors) status will be announced at a later date, DPS added. H-2A applicants must complete their license transactions in person at a DPS Driver License Office and bring these documents:
- An unexpired foreign passport
- An unexpired or expired visa
- Form I-94 or I-797A that clearly indicates H-2A status
Per federal guidelines, all non-domiciled licenses will be limited to a maximum term of one year or less. Drivers currently holding a valid non-domiciled CDL or CLP may continue to use their credentials until the printed expiration date. Immediate action is only required if the driver needs to renew, transfer out of state or upgrade their license.
DACA recipient petitions FMCSA for Class B CDL approval
A Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient is petitioning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for “an immediate, temporary exemption” that would allow states to issue Class B CDLs to DACA holders with valid Employment Authorization Documents (EADs).
While FMCSA’s decision on this specific request wouldn’t impact Class A CDL holders, should the agency approve the request, it could open the door for DACA recipients to regain their ability to hold a CDL.
Under FMCSA’s new non-domiciled CDL rules, DACA recipients are excluded from being able to obtain a CDL. The reasoning, FMCSA said, was because DACA holders rely on EADs, and states handling of EADs had proven untenable.
In this new waiver request, Jenifer Sanchez Vilchis stated that she’s a DACA recipient residing in California. Her application for Class B CDL with Passenger and School Bus endorsements were denied by the state due to FMCSA’s new non-domiciled CDL rules.
Sanchez Vilchis is requesting an exemption to obtain and hold a Class B passenger-vehicle CDL under the same conditions as other lawfully work-authorized individuals, stating that the denial was based solely on her immigration category, not on any safety or qualification deficiency.
Her exemption request also included a petition to amend FMCSA’s regulations to allow SDLAs to issue Class B CDLs to DACA recipients with valid work authorization under federal immigration programs.
Like trucking owner-operator Jorge Rivera Lujun, a DACA recipient who sued FMCSA over its new rules, Sanchez Vilchis stated that she has lived in the United States almost her entire life.
She also noted that she completed all of the California and Highway Patrol requirements for a Class B CDL with a Passenger and School-Bus endorsement, passing the General Knowledge, Passenger, and Air Brakes tests, along with the pre-trip and road exams on her first attempt.
Additionally, as the petition pertains to Class B CDLs, Sanchez Vilchis argued that the non-domiciled CDL crackdown “arose from incidents involving Class A tractor-trailer drivers engaged in freight transport,” FMCSA’s summary of her request states. “Conversely, Class B licensing governs passenger vehicles such as school buses and coaches, which are subject to more stringent testing, supervision, and background-check requirements.”
FMCSA is accepting public comments on the request here through July 2.
[Related: FMCSA issues Final Rule banning non-domiciled CDLs almost entirely]
Colorado moves certain permits online
As of June 1, commercial motor vehicle operators and businesses will be required to obtain four types of permits only online. The permits were originally available in the Colorado Ports of Entry.
The permits are now available online through the Colorado Department of Transportation's COOPR permitting system. Drivers will be able to order the 72-Hour Laden Weight Permit, Special Fuel Tax Permit, 60-Day Harvest Permit, and the Household Goods Mover Permit all online.
- 72-Hour Laden Weight Permit: Any vehicle that weighs over 16,000 pounds when empty is required to be either registered in Colorado or be apportioned for Colorado through the International Registration Plan. Instead of registering in Colorado, you can apply for a 72-Hour Laden Weight Permit. You will need to know your loaded weight in order to apply. You may apply for up to the legal maximum weight of 80,000 pounds.
- Special Fuel Tax Permit: Anyone operating a CMV in Colorado that has three or more axles or that weighs over 26,000 pounds when loaded is required to pay special fuel tax in Colorado. In lieu of purchasing fuel in Colorado, you can apply for a Special Fuel Tax Permit. To apply, you will need to know your entry point into the state, your destination, and the total number of miles you will be traveling in Colorado.
- 60-Day Harvest Permit: If you are not apportioned but are coming into Colorado to do custom harvesting for a local farmer, you can apply for a 60-Day Harvest Permit. This permit allows you to conduct harvesting operations for up to 60 days at a much lower rate than 72-Hour Laden Weight Permits. You can buy only two permits per vehicle in a 12-month period.
- Temporary Household Goods Mover Permit: If you are not based in Colorado but will be moving household goods for a customer in Colorado, you may be required by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to purchase a Household Goods Mover Permit. If the goods are moving from location to location within Colorado, you should apply.
To purchase a permit, drivers will need a CDOT account in the COOPR online permitting system. Setting up an account will require details about the business, including the USDOT Number. CDOT noted that any permits ordered on weekends may have a 24–48-hour processing delay.
