DOT Cuts New York $73.5 Million Over Driver License Disputes

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Thursday that New York will lose more than $73.5 million in federal funding. The penalty follows the state's refusal to revoke nearly 33,000 non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses flagged as questionable. A federal audit found that over half of 200 reviewed licenses contained significant issues, including remaining valid after an immigrant's legal authorization to be in the country had expired.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy initiated the federal review after a fatal crash in Florida in August. The enforcement action is part of a broader crackdown; California has already lost $200 million in funding, and several other states have received warnings regarding license compliance.

Representatives for Governor Kathy Hochul maintain that the state is complying with federal law. Spokesman Sean Butler characterized the funding cuts as part of a pattern of attacks on blue states. In contrast, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association praised the decision, stating the action would remove bad actors from the road and restore accountability to the trucking industry.