Counterfeit truckers are travelling the roads from Tijuana to Toronto. Rising reports of fraudulent commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) are stirring security concerns across North America. There are implications for international trade and supply chain safety.
The integrity of cross-border trucking between Canada, the USA and Mexico is under increasing scrutiny. Several revelations have been made over a growing problem of forged commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). These US mandatory documents are being used, primarily by Mexican drivers, to haul freight across the southern border of the USA. Industry sources and law enforcement agencies fear that these fraudulent credentials are not only undermining road safety but may be contributing to a surge in violent cargo hijackings.
Raising red flags about licensing
Alarmingly, such is the scale of the problem, there is a dedicated, commercially driven service – the Mexico Cargo Truck Hijacking Data Portal – which monitors the situation. According to the portal, 7,862 violent cargo truck hijackings were recorded in Mexico in 2023, a three per cent increase from 2022. Security analysts are now drawing a link between the availability of unvetted, potentially criminal drivers, enabled by counterfeit licenses, and the increase in violent freight thefts.
Sophisticated fake CDLs issued in Mexico have been appearing as valid in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) databases. These are allowing untrained drivers to cross the border and operate “Class A” vehicles—tractor-trailers and semi-trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds (just under 12 tonnes)—on US roads. These drivers bypass safety checks and skill verification, raising red flags about the integrity of the US commercial licensing system.
NAFTA legacy, Trump-era tensions
This is not just a paperwork issue. When fake credentials pass as legitimate in federal systems, it creates an opening for bad actors. It becomes easier to infiltrate freight networks and easier to disappear with high-value loads.
The problem is compounded by the regulatory framework established under the former North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which permitted limited reciprocity for CDLs between the US, Mexico, and Canada. Initially, Mexican carriers were confined to a designated border zone, generally restricted to border counties. They were effectively “day-trippers” who were not allowed to transport loads beyond that zone.
Enforcement challenges remain
That framework has evolved, particularly under pressures for deregulation and cross-border fluidity. At the same time, political volatility, including tariff instability invoked by the Trump administration, has increased reliance on the flexibility of trucking to move goods rapidly, especially between ports and inland destinations.
However, the rules on cabotage remain firm. Foreign drivers are not permitted to haul domestic freight within the US. If a Mexican carrier delivers a load into the US, they must return with cargo bound for Mexico or return empty. Despite this, enforcement challenges remain. When forged or improperly vetted credentials are in play, that becomes challenging.
Corruption undermining enforcement
Further eroding trust is evidence of corruption in CDL testing and issuance. In a recent case, a former Massachusetts State Police Sergeant was convicted of orchestrating a multi-year bribery and fraud scheme to falsify passing scores for CDL applicants.
The complexity of foreign licensed commercial drivers operating in the USA, but not legally authorised, and concerns over cargo security, has sparked concerns over perceived roadway safety risks in the USA, as well as the epidemic road violence south of the border.
Trade officials, transportation regulators, and customs enforcement are seeking to modernise data sharing and vetting protocols. They do, however, face sophisticated criminal operations. Legitimate, trained drivers are operating in less than ideal circumstances.
