Ohio Joins States Halting Non-Domiciled CDL Issuance

Briefly: Ohio latest state to stop issuing non-domiciled CDLs

Ohio has become the latest state to end its non-domiciled commercial driver’s license program, a move that will affect the remaining drivers holding those credentials in the state.

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles reviewed the records of approximately 5,000 non-domiciled CDL holders after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration updated eligibility requirements. Since May, the BMV has downgraded about 2,000 of those CDLs to standard driver’s licenses after determining that the holders did not meet the revised federal requirements.

Ohio has not issued or renewed non-domiciled CDLs since FMCSA changed the requirements in September 2025. With the program now being discontinued entirely, the BMV said the licenses of all remaining non-domiciled CDL holders will also be downgraded.

According to BMV Registrar Charlie Norman, affected drivers will receive letters notifying them of the change. The downgrade will take effect 30 days after the date of the letter. Drivers may request a hearing with the BMV if they want to challenge the decision.

Non-domiciled CDLs are issued to certain drivers who are not considered residents of the state issuing the credential. Under the updated federal rules, eligibility is limited to holders of specific visa classifications, including H-2A, H-2B and E-2 visas.

The changes are part of a broader federal effort to tighten oversight of commercial driver credentials issued to drivers who are not permanently domiciled in the United States. For motor carriers and drivers, the policy changes may affect hiring, license verification and the ability of some drivers to continue operating commercially.

Alabama man arrested after truck was hit by gunfire

An Alabama man was arrested after investigators said he fired a handgun at a tractor-trailer traveling on Highway 59 near Bay Minette.

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said a truck driver reported on Oct. 29 that the 18-wheeler had been struck by a bullet. Deputies recovered a large-caliber projectile from the truck’s cab and found damage consistent with a gunshot.

Investigators reviewed video from the truck and identified a dark-colored Chevrolet Avalanche pickup with what the sheriff’s office described as distinctive white decals. Authorities distributed information about the vehicle to surrounding agencies, and deputies later located a matching pickup at a residence in Bay Minette.

When deputies contacted the vehicle’s owner, Jason Chandler, he admitted owning the pickup and firing a handgun at the passing truck, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators said Chandler described the shooting as a random act and did not provide a motive.

Chandler was arrested and charged with discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle. The case illustrates the danger that roadside gunfire presents to truck drivers, who have limited ability to avoid threats while operating large vehicles at highway speeds.

The charge is an allegation, and court proceedings will determine the outcome of the case.

Averitt receives top Southern ranking in LTL customer study

Tennessee-based Averitt was ranked the highest-performing Southern less-than-truckload carrier in Mastio & Company’s 2026 LTL Carrier Study.

The carrier ranked second nationally for both overall performance and likelihood of being recommended, according to a company statement. More than eight in 10 customers surveyed said they would recommend Averitt, while virtually none gave the carrier a negative rating.

The study is based on interviews with 1,647 LTL customers who provided approximately 5,300 observations of carriers. It evaluates customer perceptions of service performance, value and the likelihood that customers would recommend a carrier to others.

Averitt President and Chief Operating Officer Barry Blakely said the results reflect customer experiences and credited the company’s employees for providing consistent service.

For professional drivers, LTL operations typically involve moving smaller freight shipments through regional and terminal networks rather than hauling full truckloads between a shipper and a single destination. Customer rankings in this segment can reflect the performance of both linehaul operations and the terminal and delivery networks that support them.

The recognition comes as carriers continue to compete on reliability, service consistency and operating value in a freight market where customers are closely evaluating transportation providers.