For decades, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has operated as it always has, trucks going in and out on the roads and packages arriving on time, supposedly. But we are in big 2026 and changes have to be made because governments demand it, and they have decided to stop working with drivers who have non domiciled commercial licenses if they have not gone through a full verification process. What does this mean? That migrant workers who are not domiciled will not be able to work for USPS.
In this country nothing is accidental, and this comes after several internal audits. The idea is to verify that those who are behind the wheel and travel across the country every day are in optimal condition to do the job.
A change of direction
At USPS they are clear that safety always comes first, and when we are talking about heavy trucks, that makes sense.
From now on, any transport company that wants to work with the postal service will have to guarantee that its drivers have been thoroughly verified, with no criminal record, with a confirmed legal status, and with training that meets all federal standards.
According to the agency itself, the current controls had gaps, and some were too large to pretend they were not there.
What are CDLs?
CDLs are commercial driver’s licenses in the United States, and are mandatory to drive large vehicles or hazardous loads. Those documents work as a personal credential, with requirements, medical checks, and specific exams, and driving one of these vehicles without a license is completely prohibited.
And what happens with these licenses?
Until now, they were being granted to migrant workers without permanent residency, so they were not being properly verified according to the government.
After several investigations, they discovered that there were incomplete checks, there was no follow up, and in some cases drivers did not meet all safety standards or could not speak English, so they could be a real danger.
Accidents and immigration policies
There have been several fatal accidents that have put the focus on heavy transport. That is normal, they are very serious accidents. But it would be impossible to talk about these licenses without mentioning that the US is not a migrant friendly country, and there have already been several ICE operations such as operation “Midway Blitz” in Illinois and Indiana or California’s Highway Sentinel operation, which resulted in hundreds of undocumented drivers. Is it their fault? No, obviously not. It is the fault of those who hire them.
Without drivers
For any transport company, the message is that they have to review staff, processes, and contracts. There will be more paperwork, more costs, and perhaps many more adjustments in a very short time. But what they do not seem to be considering is that the sector has suffered from a driver shortage for many years, and if migrant drivers are eliminated, we could see shortages in other areas as well, not only in USPS packages.
There is uncertainty in the sector. There are people who have worked for years without a single incident and will be left out for not having legal residency.
The main argument
From USPS they insist that the change is for road safety and to have greater public trust in the sector. But even if real risks are reduced, we know that US immigration policy is quite harsh and is becoming stricter, so this may have a double reading.
The way these licenses will be handled will be gradual, but the requirements and controls will not be reduced. Good luck.