President Donald Trump announced the plan at the US Army War College during the 2026 Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit in Carlisle. (Tom Brenner/Bloomberg)
key takeaways:
- President Donald Trump said some military truck drivers will soon be automatically eligible for commercial driver’s licenses.
- The President linked the proposal to enforcement efforts targeting disqualified foreign commercial vehicle drivers.
- FMCSA has updated its Even Exchange Program website to include provisions related to CDLs for eligible military personnel.
President Donald Trump announces plans for some veterans Automatic eligibility for a commercial driver’s license During a recent military-related business summit in Pennsylvania.
He said action would soon be taken to ensure that “any American who has driven a heavy truck for our military will automatically be eligible for a commercial driver’s license.”
Trump’s announcement was made July 15 during the two-day 2026 Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, attended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, other federal officials, politicians and business leaders.
While the President provided limited information about a planned “historic action” regarding the CDL, Trump highlighted his administration’s safety concerns over undocumented alien truck drivers lacking English language proficiency skills, some of whom have been arrested for being involved in crashes that have killed multiple people.
He cited undocumented truck drivers, “who are killing a lot of people. They can’t read signs. Many of them are on drugs or alcohol and they shouldn’t be driving these things. They’ve come completely illegally and we don’t want them, but they’re driving all over American roads.”
Last year, Trump issued an executive order requiring foreign-national commercial truck drivers to demonstrate that they can adequately communicate in English with traffic safety officers, Border Patrol agents and roadside inspectors and can read and understand road signs. Since then, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been enforcing the ELP mandate and other regulatory measures to remove disqualified foreign commercial vehicle drivers from the nation’s roads.
During his remarks in Pennsylvania, Trump said, “We’re going to replace them (undocumented foreign truck drivers) with proud American veterans. We’re going to teach them a lot about truck driving and in many cases they know.”
That day, FMCSA updated its CDL program website, called the “Even Exchange Program”, which offers a knowledge-test waiver for military veterans transitioning to professional driving careers.
Under the current program, a driver can exchange a military license for a CDL.
According to the FMCSA, “Military personnel may use this skills test waiver if currently licensed and are or were within the past year (12 months) employed in a military post requiring the operation of a military motor vehicle equivalent to a commercial motor vehicle.”
The program now requires military personnel to have one of the following military occupational specialties or occupational classifications:
Army
- 88M: Motor Transport Operator
- 92F: fuel filler
- 14T: Patriot Launching Station Operator
Marine Corps
- 3531: motor vehicle operator
navy
air force
- 2TI: Vehicle Operator
- 2FO: Fuel Filler
- 3E2: Pavement and Construction Equipment Operator
Although FMCSA sets CDL requirements, states issue licenses. Currently, 56% of states have implemented a “par exchange program.”
FMCSA said Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida and Wyoming are adopting the program.
