The Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC) filed the petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals, arguing that federal regulators should suspend the two states' authority to issue CDLs after previous findings of noncompliance.
The group says federal law requires the U.S. Department of Transportation to take action when a state's CDL program is found to be substantially out of compliance with federal requirements.
The case follows recent federal audits of state CDL programs and comes as regulators continue reviewing licensing standards for non-domiciled commercial drivers.
New York and California could continue defending their licensing programs in court, and no changes have been ordered at this time. The lawsuit is still in the early stages, and the court has not issued a decision.
The outcome could affect how commercial driver's licenses are issued in the future and may influence federal oversight of state CDL programs.