Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has slammed Minnesota Governor and Democratic Party leader Tim Walz (D-Minn.) for illegally issuing Commercial Driving Licenses (CDLs).
Comply Or Lose $30 Million In Federal Funds, Says Duffy
Taking to the social media platform X on Monday, Duffy slammed the Democrat leader, alleging that the Department of Transportation (DOT) discovered that "one third" of the "non-domiciled CDLs" issued in the state were illegal. "MINNESOTA: You're on notice. You have 30 days to fix this or lose $30 million in federal funding," Duffy said in the post.
Duffy also shared that the DOT has issued a 30-day deadline for all CDL schools and training centers to comply with Federal regulations or face a shutdown.
"The days of a "Wild Wild West" trucking industry are over under the Trump administration," Duffy said.
Commercial CDL Row
Earlier this year, Duffy locked horns with California Governor Gavin Newsom after an undocumented semi truck driver who received his CDL in California took an illegal U-turn on a Florida highway, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
It's worth noting that this isn't the first time Duffy has threatened to pull federal funding from a Democrat-controlled state; the Transportation Secretary earlier threatened to withdraw $160 million in federal funding from California, drawing criticism from Newsom.
Self-Driving Trucks And Trains?
Self-driving transportation companies like Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ:AUR) are developing autonomous trucks in the U.S., which could be a possible answer to transportation needs as regulations around CDLs get tougher. Autonomous trains could be an alternative as well, with former SpaceX employee Matt Soule working on a startup that promises electric battery autonomous freight trains, called Parallel Systems.
Tesla Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Semi trucks, too, could come in handy as the model line boasts some autonomous capabilities as well as enhanced battery range. Tesla already has a partnership in place with Uber Technologies Inc.‘s (NYSE:UBER) freight operations.
Tim Walz Vs Trump
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Governor recently faced off against President Donald Trump, raising questions over Trump’s health following the MRI scan. “It's clear the president's fading physically,” Walz said in an interview following some choice words for the Governor by Trump.
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