Chandigarh — The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has cancelled 1,790 non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licences (CDLs), with community groups saying Punjabi Sikh long-haul truck drivers are disproportionately affected. The cancellations took effect April 1 under House Enrolled Act 1200, which restricts non-domiciled CDLs to holders of only three visa classes: H-2A (farm workers), H-2B (other temporary workers), and E-2 (treaty investors). Many other foreign nationals, even those with prior work authorisation, no longer qualify.
The BMV sent notices to the impacted drivers on March 16. Gregory Dunn, the agency’s executive director of communications, said nearly all non-domiciled CDL holders in the state have lost their CDL privileges. Affected drivers face choices such as downgrading to regular driver’s licences, seeking different employment, or pursuing appeals through organisations like UNITED SIKHS.
State lawmakers moved to tighten eligibility after several deadly truck crashes involving non-domiciled drivers, including a Hendricks County crash linked to Sukhdeep Singh. Officials have emphasised the dangers posed by heavy commercial vehicles — described as 80,000-pound missiles — and the importance of verified driving records, English proficiency, and rigorous training.
Indiana’s action follows a recent Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rule increasing oversight of foreign CDL holders; the state is the first to adopt such sweeping limits. California took similar steps earlier this year, cancelling or reviewing thousands of immigrant drivers’ licences, many of them Punjabi Sikhs. The changes arrive amid a national truck driver shortage. Affected drivers are advised to consult the Indiana BMV portal or local offices about appeals and the narrow visa exceptions that remain.
