Trucking news & briefs for Monday, May 5, 2025:
Correcting the non-domiciled CDL record in Texas
As President Donald Trump called for a "review" of non-domiciled CDLs, often issued to foreign drivers, the state of Texas did its own internal review and informed Overdrive of a Texas-sized discovery of tens of thousands of additional issued or renewed non-domiciled CDLs.
In weeks prior to Trump's executive order Monday, April 28, Overdrive began seeking counts from states of non-domciled CDLs issued, with some results after reaching out to states individually.
[Related: 'Labor dumping' and trucking: Are foreign CDL drivers bringing down rates?]
Most of those findings were published last week Wednesday, April 30, with responses from Texas, California, Illinois, Washington, Oregon, Maine, and South Carolina documenting the existence of 27,499 non-domiciled CDLs issued by these states. In addition to the total amount, the numbers showed non-domiciled CDLs taking up an increasing share of the overall CDL issuance pie in states who supplied enough information.
On Monday, the state of Texas informed Overdrive the data provided in response to a Freedom of Information Act request was big-time incorrect. "The data you previously received was incorrect," a representative from the Texas Department of Public Safety said, providing the table that follows showing all CDLs, including "renewals, modifications, duplications and originals."
Corrected numbers from Texas DPS show that non-domiciled CDL issuance/renewal hit a high point in 2015 with 7,654 total. Expressed as a percentage, the share of non-domiciled CDLs increased roughly consistent with the trend observed in other states. In 2015, nondomiciled CDLs made up 1.64% of Texas' issuances. In 2024, with some ups and downs in the intervening years, the share was up to 2.84%.
Though given some of the non-domiciled CDL counts will be duplicates with renewals in the total, Texas' numbers would more than double the prior total accounting of the number of known non-domiciled CDLs over a 10-year period.
Hyundai rolls out new Xcient fuel cell tractor
Hyundai's new Xcient Class 8 tractor has a range of 450 miles and 68 kg of hydrogen storage.Hyundai Motor Company
After debuting as a concept at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in 2024, Hyundai Motor Company’s new Xcient fuel cell class-8 tractor took the stage at ACT Expo 2025 as the company’s hydrogen solution designed specifically for the North American market. The new fuel cell tractor has added features for safety, driver comfort and performance.
With 68 kg hydrogen storage capacity and a maximum range of 450 miles, the new Xcient is powered by a 180 kW hydrogen fuel cell system paired with a 72 kWh battery pack. A 350 kW electric motor generates 1,650 ft. lbs. of torque.
Among the biggest additions is a suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to reduce driver fatigue and improve safety. ADAS technologies include forward collision-avoidance assist, lane departure warning, smart cruise control, forward collision warning and blind-spot collision warning.
The Xcient’s interior also has been enhanced for driver convenience and comfort, including a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster and an additional 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring physical buttons integrated into the center console for driver convenience and ergonomics.
Since the initial tractor development in 2020, Hyundai has deployed Xcient trucks across the country in various applications. The company has tallied 450,000 miles with 30 Xcient trucks in operation in the Port of Oakland since 2023 as part of the NorCAL ZERO Project, representing its largest deployment of fuel cell trucks in the country.
Hyundai also has 21 Xcient trucks deployed at its Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) plant in Savannah, representing roughly half of the operation’s inbound and outbound delivery logistics. The company announced plans to launch ‘HTWO Energy Savannah’ by the end of 2025, representing the industry’s first Class-8 heavy-duty truck hydrogen refueling and electric recharging station in collaboration with HydroFleet and Capital Development Partners, assisting development near HMGMA.
