Federal and state law enforcement agencies teamed up across four Southeastern states on Saturday, Sept. 26, for a coordinated overnight enforcement sweep targeting commercial motor vehicles, resulting in dozens of drivers and vehicles being pulled off the road.
Operation Saturday Night Fever spanned U.S. highways across South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia. Safety investigators from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) teamed up with the Department of Homeland Security and state police to conduct inspections, verify driver credentials and check for safety violations.
Authorities inspected 552 vehicles during the operation, resulting in 78 drivers and 25 vehicles being placed out of service. Among the out-of-service drivers were 12 cited for English Language Proficiency (ELP) violations, including operators holding non-domiciled commercial driver licenses (CDLs).
The multi-state initiative focused on identifying fatigued drivers, checking electronic logging devices, and inspecting for distracted driving, unsecure cargo, and other hazards along high-crash corridors.
"This operation reflects the strength of our law enforcement partnerships and our shared responsibility to keep America’s roads safe," said FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs. "Our message is simple: safety comes first, and those who put the public at risk will be held accountable."
State law enforcement leaders emphasized the importance of nighttime enforcement along key freight arteries like the Interstate 95 corridor.
"Late evening and early morning hours are often when dangerous driving behaviors go unnoticed, and collisions can have serious—even deadly—consequences," said South Carolina State Transport Police Colonel Dwayne Wilson.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol Commander Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., noted that combining resources across agencies is vital to ongoing traffic safety efforts.
Florida Highway Patrol Colonel Gary Howze highlighted the role of the agency's Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Troopers in holding commercial drivers to rigorous standards, while Georgia Department of Public Safety Major Andrew Montgomery stressed that cross-border cooperation helps target bad actors while allowing compliant carriers to keep freight moving.
FMCSA officials noted that the operation follows broader federal efforts launched after an April 2025 Executive Order aimed at trucking industry oversight. According to the agency, those efforts have resulted in placing 31,200 drivers out of service for failing to meet basic English language proficiency requirements, shutting down nearly 10,000 driving schools, and revoking more than 31,000 illegally issued licenses to unvetted foreign drivers.
