MOOSIC, Pa. — Calling it "common sense legislation," state officials and transportation industry leaders are backing a federal proposal to reshape the requirements for obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
The push for reform, led by Republican Congressman Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), follows the tragic death of 44-year-old Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael Pahira Jr., who was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on July 1. Trooper Pahira was conducting a routine commercial vehicle safety inspection along Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County when the crash occurred.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, 33-year-old Michael Bon of Brockton, Massachusetts, faces multiple charges, including homicide by vehicle. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Bon is an undocumented immigrant from Haiti whose parole in the U.S. had expired, though he held a valid CDL issued and renewed by the state of Massachusetts.
Key reforms of the proposed legislation
Known as "Dalilah’s Law," the proposed legislation targets federal CDL standard loopholes. Backed by the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association (PSTA) and the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA), the bill aims to enforce the following safety and security measures:
- Strict immigration verification: Requires all states to verify that applicants are legally authorized to work and reside in the U.S. before issuing or renewing a CDL.
- English proficiency requirements: Mandates that all CDL holders can read and speak English well enough to converse with the public, understand highway traffic signs, and respond to official inquiries.
- Targeting "CDL mills": Cracks down on low-quality training centers to ensure incoming drivers receive proper safety instruction.
- Penalties for non-compliance: Authorizes the withholding of federal funding from states that fail to comply with these safety standards.
Supporters of the legislation emphasize that driving an 80,000-pound vehicle on public highways requires absolute compliance with national safety, communication, and legal guidelines. The bill, which passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee earlier this year, faces an upcoming vote on the House floor before it can move to the Senate for consideration.
