California has moved to revoke roughly 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) after a federal mandate determined the licenses no longer meet U.S. Department of Transportation standards. The affected CDLs will expire within 60 days, leaving thousands of truck drivers in Bakersfield and across the state facing sudden unemployment.
Many of the impacted drivers—primarily immigrants—say the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is misinterpreting federal requirements and ignoring valid work permits.
Gurman Singh, an Indian immigrant with 11 years of trucking experience, said he received a notice last month informing him that his CDL would be revoked. Singh, a father of two, called the situation devastating and is seeking legal help and support from community groups…