Highway Shield wave three in Arkansas: 393 out of service, 183 English proficiency failures

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on November 4 the results of the third wave of Operation Highway Shield, a federal-state truck enforcement push, according to a KATV report published the same day. This wave ran in Arkansas and was the largest single-state result the program has posted so far.

Arkansas Highway Police worked with FMCSA inspectors and three other federal agencies for 48 hours, from the morning of October 27 to the morning of October 29, KATV reported on October 30. Inspectors completed 1,724 roadside inspections. Of those, 393 drivers and vehicles were placed out of service, and 183 drivers were disqualified for failing English language proficiency checks.

The operation also produced 74 immigration violations referred to federal enforcement, 44 criminal arrests, more than 1,000 motor carrier safety violations and 369 traffic citations or warnings, according to the same October 30 report. One stolen trailer was recovered. FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said in that report: "If you put safety at risk, we will hold you accountable."

How it compares with earlier waves

The first wave, in Florida in March, covered more than 3,300 inspections and put 176 drivers out of service, 54 of them over language deficiencies, according to The Trucker's August 5 coverage. The second wave, run July 28 to 30 across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio, put 766 drivers and vehicles out of service and recorded 36 English proficiency failures, per the same report. The two sets of numbers are not directly comparable, because the waves covered different areas and time spans, and the second wave's figures were described as preliminary.

What stands out in Arkansas is the English proficiency count. At 183, it is about five times the second wave's 36 and well above the first wave's 54.

What it means for carriers

Expect more of these blitzes. Three waves in roughly eight months suggests a repeating pattern, and each has centered on a major freight corridor. Carriers that run through Arkansas, including the I-40 and I-30 lanes, should assume heavier inspection activity can appear with little notice.

Fleet safety managers should confirm that every driver can pass an English proficiency check, that CDL and medical records are current, and that logs and vehicle condition would hold up in a full inspection. An out-of-service order stops a truck on the spot, and the cost shows up as late deliveries and detention.

What shippers and brokers should watch

Out-of-service orders remove capacity from specific lanes for hours or days. Brokers covering Arkansas and neighboring states should verify carrier authority and driver qualifications before tendering, and build a little extra transit time into time-sensitive loads. The agencies have not said where a fourth wave will land.