Arkansas blitz puts 393 drivers and trucks out of service in 48 hours
The Arkansas Department of Transportation says a 48-hour operation with FMCSA placed 393 drivers and commercial vehicles out of service and made 183 English language proficiency disqualifications.
What happened
Arkansas Highway Police, working with FMCSA, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations and ICE, ran Operation Highway Shield from 6 a.m. Oct. 27 to 6 a.m. Oct. 29, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation. Officers conducted 1,724 inspections, placed 393 drivers and commercial vehicles out of service, identified more than 330 unqualified or unauthorized drivers and made 183 English language proficiency disqualifications, the agency said.
Why it matters
ArDOT also reports more than 1,000 motor carrier safety violations, 369 citations or warnings, 44 criminal arrests and one stolen trailer recovered. Land Line reports the operation's second wave covered Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio. FMCSA proposed in August to write the English language proficiency requirement into its rules as an out-of-service violation, and the comment period closed Oct. 9.
What to consider
Check that every driver's qualification file shows they meet 49 CFR 391.11, including the English reading and speaking standard in 391.11(b)(2), before a roadside inspection tests it. Hiring drivers guide · 49 CFR 391.11 on eCFR · FMCSA proposed rule
Sources
- Arkansas Department of Transportation (Oct. 29, 2026)
- Land Line (Oct. 30, 2026)
- 49 CFR 391.11 on eCFR (last amended May 9, 2022)
- Federal Register, ELP out-of-service proposed rule (Aug. 10, 2026)
Reporting and records credited to the sources above, Oct. 29, 2026. We link to the original and add what it means for carriers.
This item is general information, not legal advice. Rules and programs change, so check the sources above. How we pick, source and correct Wire items · More from The Wire