DOT links cabotage findings to visa revocations as FMCSA tightens English-proficiency rules at the border

The U.S. Department of Transportation confirmed in early June 2026 that it is working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection so that foreign truck drivers caught committing cabotage face visa consequences. Overdrive reported the confirmation on June 4.

Cabotage and visas

Cabotage is when a Mexican or Canadian carrier hauls freight with both a U.S. origin and a U.S. destination, which federal rules do not allow.

Overdrive cited a May report from Agencia RN Noticias that quoted Pedro Lozano Martínez, a delegate from the Nuevo Laredo chapter of Mexico's National Chamber of Freight Transportation. He claimed that some 3,200 Mexican drivers had their B-1 visas revoked. Martínez said drivers who received a DOT warning for possible cabotage were having their visas revoked automatically by CBP.

A DOT spokesperson did not confirm the 3,200 figure but confirmed the partnership, and that cabotage reports now affect visa status. "The era of looking the other way is over," the spokesperson told Overdrive. The spokesperson said DOT was using data sharing with CBP so that drivers found violating cabotage laws face "immediate and real consequences."

Overdrive reported that CBP had been revoking driver visas over cabotage since November.

English proficiency in the border zone

FMCSA also revised its roadside guidance on English language proficiency. The new policy memorandum, MC-SEE-2026-0002, was last updated April 16, 2026, and replaced a May 2025 policy.

Under the earlier approach, drivers in the U.S.-Mexico border commercial zones received only a non-out-of-service violation for failing an ELP assessment. The revised guidance tells inspectors to cite the driver and place them out of service if the driver fails the assessment and the trip involved, or would involve, travel in the U.S. outside the border commercial zones, according to the text quoted by Overdrive.

What it meant for carriers

Avery Vise, FTR's vice president of trucking, told Overdrive that the change in effect directs roadside inspectors to address cabotage. He noted that roughly 70% of all ELP violations occur in the border zones. Vise called the guidance "not a silver bullet cabotage solution by any means," but said it was a "potentially significant tightening of the enforcement."

Overdrive reported that the guidance could have big implications for cabotage enforcement.