The federal government is threatening to pull $73 million in transportation funding from New York over what officials say is the illegal and unsafe issuance of commercial driver’s licenses, a move that comes as Maine communities grapple with their own alarming trucking incidents involving drivers who reportedly cannot read English.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a warning Friday, giving New York 30 days to come into compliance with federal CDL requirements or face the loss of tens of millions of dollars.
“Fifty-three percent of New York’s non-domiciled CDLs were issued unlawfully or illegally,” Duffy said at a press conference, describing the findings as a serious public safety failure.
He later doubled down in a blunt message posted on X:
“We’re holding New York accountable for issuing non-domicile commercial driver’s licenses to truckers illegally. FULL STOP. We’re giving New York 30 days to comply or we’ll withhold $73 MILLION! The safety of the American people comes first.”
Maine Already Seeing the Consequences
While Duffy’s warning was directed at New York, Maine is already dealing with the real-world fallout of lax CDL enforcement, as documented in recent reporting by The Maine Wire.
In Lyman, residents and state police say tractor-trailers continue to barrel down a clearly closed section of Route 35, ignoring barricades, signage, and detour warnings tied to an ongoing bridge replacement project. Despite repeated enforcement efforts, trucks keep coming.
Residents and law enforcement officials have pointed to a troubling explanation: many of the drivers appear unable to read English, raising questions about how they obtained commercial licenses in the first place.
“It’s obvious that the road is closed,” said State Rep. Wayne Parry (R-Arundel). “It’s not like you don’t know. If you can’t read the signs, you shouldn’t be driving a tractor-trailer.”
Parry has called for severe penalties against trucking companies that allow unqualified drivers on the road, arguing that fines must be large enough to force compliance.
“A million-dollar fine is in order,” he said.
Residents: ‘They Can’t Read’
Local frustration has only grown as trucks repeatedly violate the closure, creating safety risks for residents and construction crews alike.
One Lyman resident, Bill Nowicki, summed up what many in town are asking.
“I don’t know what it is,” Nowicki said. “They can’t read? They don’t understand the road is closed? If you can’t read, I don’t know how you can drive a tractor-trailer.”
Social media videos and photos shared by The Maine Wire show trucks passing multiple “ROAD CLOSED” signs before being forced to turn around — sometimes after damaging infrastructure or getting stuck.
State Police Interventions Raise More Red Flags
Maine State Police have increased patrols along Route 35, and at least one recent stop has deepened concerns.
According to The Maine Wire, a truck driver stopped on the closed roadway was placed out of service after failing to produce a valid CDL and DOT medical card — and failing the English language proficiency test, which is required under both federal and Maine law.
Federal regulations mandate that CDL holders must be able to read and speak English well enough to understand traffic signs, respond to law enforcement, and complete reports. Drivers who fail that standard can be legally barred from operating commercial vehicles.
A National Problem Comes Home
Duffy framed the New York funding threat as part of a broader federal push to rein in systemic failures in CDL issuance, particularly involving non-domiciled licenses and language proficiency requirements.
For Maine residents dealing with trucks ignoring closures, the issue is no longer abstract.
What federal officials are calling out in New York, critics argue, is already playing out on Maine roads — raising serious questions about licensing integrity, enforcement failures, and public safety.
As New York’s 30-day clock ticks down, communities like Lyman are left asking a simpler question: How many warning signs have to be ignored before the system is finally fixed?
