Feds investigating after trucker with Minnesota CDL drove wrong way on Missouri interstate
A scary scene on a Missouri highway is calling into question how Minnesota issues licenses to truck drivers.
It involved an 18-wheeler traveling the wrong way on an interstate. Our Jeff Wagner explains why the federal government is now involved in the investigation.
Being mindful of semi-trucks on a highway is important when you consider their weight and size. That's why it was especially frightening to learn a Minnesota trucker was driving his big rig the wrong way down an interstate in Missouri. After he crossed the median to head in the right direction, state troopers pulled him over.
Investigators said the driver had a valid commercial driver's license issued in Minnesota. He then failed a roadside inspection and could not pass a test for English proficiency.
"During that test, the trooper noticed that he wasn't able to read and comprehend the road signs. At the completion of that inspection, the driver was placed out of service," said Sgt. Dallas Thompson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The driver was cited by troopers and released. Another licensed driver in the cab finished their trip.
The original driver works for Cargo Transportation LLC, which has an address listed at an apartment complex in Hopkins, Minnesota.
WCCO knocked on the apartment door, but nobody answered. WCCO found a business card from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) wedged by the doorknob.
On X, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is investigating the carrier. WCCO asked the Department of Homeland Security about the driver's immigration status, but didn't hear back.
In December, Duffy accused Minnesota of illegally issuing hundreds of non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses, which are given to drivers who aren't U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Through its own audit, Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services said it "identified and corrected some administrative errors with issuing non-domiciled CDLs." There's been a pause on issuing them ever since.
When asked about the incident involving the driver in Missouri, a spokesperson from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety gave this statement:
"We don't yet know the facts of this situation involving a wrong-way driver in Missouri, so we will wait to learn more from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association's (FMCSA) investigation. However we can confirm that DVS follows the requirements set by federal rules (CFR 383) when issuing any commercial driver's license (CDL) or commercial learner's permit (CLP). All CDL applicants in Minnesota must take their knowledge and behind-the-wheel testing in English to demonstrate the ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle."
President Trump is urging Congress to pass a law that would ban undocumented immigrants from getting a commercial driver's license.
