The Trump administration has launched “Freedom Haulers”, a campaign to encourage US military veterans to take jobs in commercial trucking. It matters because the initiative links veteran employment policy to a wider federal crackdown on immigrant truck drivers and commercial licences, potentially reshaping the industry’s workforce.

The Department of Transportation is leading the effort with the Departments of Veterans Affairs, War and Labor. Veterans with recent experience driving large military vehicles may be able to skip the commercial driving skills test, while others can use their final six months of service for training; the GI Bill can cover training costs. Officials said roughly 26,000 drivers had been removed for failing English-language requirements and 30,000 commercial licences cancelled as illegally issued, while truck drivers average about $70,000 annually.