Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, May 14, 2026:
- State’s non-citizen CDL request turns into first non-domiciled CDL rule exemption.
- $120K off new electric trucks?
- Team drivers’ winter-storm assist: "We just wanted to make sure everyone was safe and able to get back on the road. That’s what matters most in situations like this.” --Highway Angel Karamjit Singh Cheema
Non-domiciled CDL final rule: A 'Freely Associated States' exception
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted its first non-domiciled CDL exemption since publishing the February final rule limiting issuance to a few classifications of foreign worker visas.
In a Federal Register notice published May 14 in response to a September 2024 petition from the Hawaii Department of Transportation, FMCSA granted all state driver’s licensing agencies (SDLAs) a five-year exemption to issue non-domiciled CDLs/CLPs to citizens of Freely Associated States (FAS) who reside in the United States and who have a valid, unexpired passport issued by an FAS and a Form I-94 or I -94A.
The FAS are the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. United States agreements with FAS nations, known as the Compacts of Free Association, grant unique status to FAS citizens based in part on the role of the FAS in supporting the U.S. security presence in the Pacific Islands region.
Under federal law, states are authorized to issue Real ID licenses to FAS citizens with modified documentation requirements implemented by the Department of Homeland Security.
“The exemption allows SDLAs to accept a valid, unexpired passport issued by an FAS and an Arrival/Departure Record, meaning a Form I-94 or I-94A issued by DHS, to prove that the individual has entered the United States lawfully, and to issue non-domiciled CLPs and CDLs to those individuals that otherwise meet the eligibility requirements,” FMCSA said in granting the exemption.
[Related: FMCSA's non-domiciled CDL ban scores major victory in clash with non-citizen drivers]
FAS citizens were granted unique work status by Congress, do not require a visa to work in the United States, and do not have expiration dates on their Form I-94s or I-94As. “FAS citizens do not need an H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visa to receive a non-domiciled CLP or CDL” for those reasons under the new exemption, FMCSA added.
Hawaii DOT also requested that it be allowed to issue standard CLPs and CDLs to FAS citizens in its 2024 request. FMCSA denied that portion of the state’s request, noting that it “believes that it would be inconsistent with the Agency's Non-Domiciled CDL final rule to allow SDLAs to issue standard CLPs and CDLs to individuals who are not domiciled in the United States.”
The new exemption supersedes the prior exemption granted to the Oregon DOT that allowed the state to issue standard CLPs and CDLs to FAS citizens, rather than non-domiciled CLPs and CDLs.
The exemption is effective through May 14, 2031.
[Related: Bill would increase FMCSA non-domiciled CDL oversight]
California rebate program will knock $120K off electric Class 8 cost
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) launched a $1 billion rebate program for electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
The new California Clean Fuel Reward (CCFR) is currently open to retailer enrollment. Beginning June 26, rebates will be available at authorized retailers for public and private fleets across the state.
The rebates range from $7,500 for Class 2b vehicles (8,501-10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight) to $120,000 for Class 8 vehicles over 33,000 pounds GVW. Rebates can only be applied toward the purchase of new electric medium‑ and heavy‑duty commercial vehicles registered in California, including drayage trucks, electric semis, box trucks, delivery vans, and other fleet vehicles.
Hybrid, fuel cell, used vehicles, and battery-electric motorcycles are not eligible, CARB noted.
Funded with revenue utilities generate from the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), the program is expected to become the largest utility rebate program for electric trucks in the country, with $250 million available this year and more than $1 billion in total rebate funding expected through 2030.
“By returning revenue from the Low Carbon Fuel Standard directly to truck buyers at time of purchase," said CARB chair Lauren Sanchez, "we’re making zero‑emission trucks the better choice for fleets and delivering cleaner air along freight corridors where it’s needed most.”
The program is administered statewide by Southern California Edison on behalf of CARB, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Diego Gas & Electric, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
[Related: Electric-truck purchase incentives create big challenges for owner-ops, small fleets]
Pair of truckers named Highway Angels
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named Prince Bali and Karamjit Singh Cheema, truck drivers with Triple Eight Transport, Highway Angels for their compassion and assistance to stranded motorists during severe winter conditions in British Columbia.
Prince Bali and Karamjit Singh Cheema
“We saw a young boy standing outside the vehicle, shivering and clearly in distress,” said Bali. “We knew right away we had to turn around and help.”
As they continued along the route, the drivers encountered a traffic backup and noticed a family vehicle stuck on an uphill section of the road. After safely turning their truck around, they also came across another stranded motorist -- an elderly truck driver whose 53-foot trailer was stuck in the snow. Prioritizing safety, Bali and Singh first assisted the truck driver in stabilizing his situation before returning to the family in need.
Working together, the team reassured the family and prepared their equipment. Using straps from their truck, Singh handled the driving while Bali guided the recovery, and they successfully pulled the family’s vehicle out of the snow. They also helped restart the electric vehicle and ensured the family was able to safely continue their journey.
“We just wanted to make sure everyone was safe and able to get back on the road,” said Singh Cheema. “That’s what matters most in situations like this.”
