Alabama Governor Praises Washington’s Push for Cleaner, Safer Trucking
Alabama governor applauds federal efforts to clean up trucking
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is praising a new federal initiative aimed at addressing fraud, illegal operations and safety violations in the commercial trucking industry while pointing to enforcement measures already underway in the state.
Alabama’s efforts center on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Motor Carrier Safety Unit, which conducts commercial vehicle enforcement across the state. The agency has also worked with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during some of those assignments since the partnership began on Oct. 27, 2025.
According to the governor’s office, ALEA’s enforcement work has helped ICE detain 561 people for immigration violations encountered during commercial vehicle enforcement operations. Ivey referenced the figure in a statement supporting the federal initiative. In a social media post, she described the total as more than 560 detentions and said the state’s enforcement efforts would continue.
The partnership does not replace ALEA’s regular commercial vehicle inspections and enforcement responsibilities. ICE personnel have joined ALEA assignments when available, while ALEA troopers continue to focus on commercial driver and vehicle compliance issues, including licensing and safety requirements.
Focus on high-crash corridors
ALEA also has directed enforcement resources toward high-crash corridors and areas where commercial vehicle violations are more common. The agency said those efforts have been concentrated in locations with elevated crash risks and violations involving commercial motor vehicles.
The governor’s office said Alabama recorded 106 fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles in 2025. That was the state’s lowest annual total since 2021, according to the office. So far in 2026, commercial motor vehicle fatalities are down 24% compared with the same period last year.
ALEA said it has observed reductions in commercial vehicle-related crashes in areas where enforcement has been concentrated. The figures cited by the governor’s office describe statewide fatality trends, while the agency’s comments about crash reductions refer to locations receiving focused enforcement.
For professional drivers and carriers, the enforcement emphasis means greater attention in areas where inspections, traffic stops and roadside compliance checks are already more frequent. Violations involving licensing, language proficiency, vehicle condition and other commercial motor vehicle requirements can affect a driver’s ability to continue operating.
English-language proficiency enforcement
Alabama has also increased enforcement of English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers. The governor’s office said ALEA troopers have issued 1,022 English-language proficiency violations since Jan. 1, 2025.
English-language proficiency is a federal requirement for commercial drivers. Drivers must be able to understand traffic signs and signals, communicate with officials, respond to official inquiries and complete required records and reports. The Alabama figures cited in the announcement were not broken down by the type of violation or its outcome.
The enforcement push comes as state and federal officials focus more closely on commercial driver licensing and the legal operation of trucking businesses. Ivey’s office framed Alabama’s approach as an example of the state and federal cooperation the nationwide initiative is intended to strengthen.
New Alabama law takes effect in October
Ivey also has supported changes to Alabama’s commercial driver licensing laws. In March, she signed the Highway Safety and Fairness Act, which takes effect Oct. 1, 2026.
The law requires foreign commercial driver’s license holders operating in Alabama to possess valid U.S. work authorization. It also requires all commercial driver’s license holders to demonstrate English-language proficiency and makes presenting a fraudulent foreign commercial driver’s license during an enforcement encounter a criminal offense.
The new requirements add another layer to the compliance responsibilities already facing drivers and carriers. Employers and drivers will need to ensure that licensing and work authorization documents are valid and available when required, while drivers must continue meeting applicable safety and communication standards.
Industry response
Mark Colson, president and CEO of the Alabama Trucking Association, said Alabama’s enforcement efforts help protect companies and drivers that follow licensing and safety rules. He also said the measures target operators who do not meet those requirements.
For the trucking industry, the issue involves both highway safety and fair competition. Carriers that maintain required equipment, licensing and operating credentials can face pressure when other operators avoid or falsify those requirements. Enforcement agencies and industry representatives say identifying those violations helps distinguish compliant operations from those that create safety or regulatory concerns.
Ivey’s support comes as federal agencies expand their attention to commercial trucking fraud and illegal activity. Alabama officials say the state has already been pursuing similar goals through targeted roadside enforcement, licensing standards and its coordination with federal immigration authorities.
The state’s reported fatality decline and its ongoing enforcement activity provide the basis for Ivey’s claim that Alabama is taking a leading role. The effectiveness of the new law and the broader federal initiative will depend on how the requirements are implemented and enforced after the Oct. 1 effective date.
