WASHINGTON, D.C. — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said his department is targeting what he described as widespread fraud in commercial driver’s license training and issuance, warning that unqualified drivers could be getting CDLs and posing risks as millions of Americans travel for the year-end holiday period.

Speaking Tuesday on “Fox & Friends,” Duffy said his department has been working to improve highway safety ahead of the holiday travel surge. He alleged that “CDL mills” are enabling fraudulent sign-offs and allowing some people to obtain licenses without proper training. Duffy also said drivers who cannot meet requirements such as English proficiency and federally required training should not be operating commercial trucks, describing the risks associated with heavy trucks on public roads.

Duffy said states could face financial consequences if they do not comply with federal commercial driver licensing and training rules. He warned that states could lose millions in federal funding if they fail to correct violations, and he said the Department of Transportation is pressuring states to revoke credentials that were improperly issued.

Duffy specifically referenced Colorado, saying the department accused the state of noncompliance and threatened to withhold $24 million in federal highway funds. He said federal officials believe some states are moving too slowly in pulling back licenses, and he described the department’s approach as tying federal funding to compliance.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis has pushed back on Duffy’s claims, saying the state completed an investigation and is conducting a final review before notifying CDL holders whose credentials were wrongly issued, according to reporting referenced in the update.

Duffy said the issue is not limited to one state and described it as a broader national safety concern. He also emphasized that his department’s crackdown includes fraudulent CDL operations and illegal commercial driving activity, and he said states such as California, New York, and Colorado are among those he said are at risk of losing federal funds over violations.

The comments came as travel projections showed a large holiday road travel period, with AAA estimating roughly 109.5 million Americans will travel by car for year-end holiday trips and 122.4 million total travelers expected to go at least 50 miles from home during the period.

No additional enforcement timeline or state-by-state resolution dates were provided in the remarks, and ongoing compliance reviews and state responses remain in progress.

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