The tragedy of 9/11 forever changed our perception of the world, our lives and security in the United States. The attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon shocked the world and also transformed airports and ground transportation.

Highways, ports, borders and commercial transportation became part of a new national security strategy.

For the trucking industry, some of those changes remain in place 25 years after one of the worst tragedies the world has witnessed.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explains that after the attacks, the federal government developed a new structure to prevent attacks and protect the country. One of the biggest changes was the creation of DHS in 2003, bringing 22 federal agencies and offices together under one department.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was also created. Its mission extends beyond airports: it protects the nation’s transportation systems and works to ensure the secure movement of people and goods.

Trucks Also Became a Security Concern

A quarter of a century has passed since September 11, 2001, when the peace of our Nation was shattered by terrorists.

Today, we remember the 2,977 precious lives taken from us, honor the heroes who answered the call, & keep their families in the heart of our Nation.

Above all,… pic.twitter.com/krsBkfsdKi

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 11, 2026

After the horror of 9/11, authorities began paying closer attention to a specific risk: that a commercial vehicle, particularly one carrying hazardous materials, could become a target or even be used as a weapon.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) explicitly states that, in response to the September 11 attacks and subsequent threats against the transportation system, it began developing programs designed to prevent commercial vehicles from being used by terrorists as weapons or targets.

The transportation of hazardous materials became one of the top priorities.

The Department of Transportation was also tasked with identifying vulnerabilities within the system. The FMCSA later conducted specific security tests involving HAZMAT shipments, examining shipments from origin to destination and evaluating technologies and procedures capable of reducing risks.

‘The moment the world changed’: Remembering 9/11 25 years on

The HAZMAT Endorsement Changed

One of the most tangible effects for drivers came with legislation passed after the attacks.

The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 established new security requirements for drivers transporting certain hazardous materials.

In 2003, the FMCSA implemented new restrictions for CDLs with a Hazardous Materials Endorsement. Since then, states have not been allowed to issue, renew, transfer or upgrade a CDL with a HAZMAT endorsement until the required security assessment has been completed and the applicant has been determined not to pose a security threat.

That introduced something now familiar to thousands of drivers: the security threat assessment, conducted by the TSA.

The rules were later made permanent by the FMCSA.

In other words, part of the process truckers now go through to obtain or renew certain HAZMAT credentials is directly connected to the security reforms introduced after 9/11.

Borders: When Trucks Waited More Than 10 Hours

The impact at the borders was immediate.

A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows just how severely commercial transportation was affected during the first days after the attacks.

At Detroit border crossings with Canada, U.S. authorities increased both the number and scope of inspections and began questioning people crossing bridges and tunnels.

The result was dramatic: truck wait times exceeded 10 hours.

The situation raised an issue that remains central to international transportation today: how to increase security without bringing trade to a halt.

The United States began developing systems that could identify lower-risk operators and cargo in advance.

FAST and CTPAT: Security Without Stopping Trucks

One of the programs that emerged after 9/11 was FAST — Free and Secure Trade, designed to expedite the processing of commercial shipments considered low risk entering the United States from Canada and Mexico.

The program allows faster processing for carriers and drivers who meet specific requirements and security checks.

FAST remains directly connected to trucking. Its dedicated lanes operate at land ports of entry along both the northern and southern borders, including crossings from California to Texas.

To participate, the different members of the supply chain — manufacturer, carrier, driver and importer — must meet the applicable requirements of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT).

CTPAT operates as a partnership between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and private companies to secure the supply chain, identify vulnerabilities and implement security measures.

Companies considered low risk may receive benefits such as fewer inspections and priority processing in certain controls.

Ports and New Credentials

The transformation also reached U.S. ports.

After 9/11, systems controlling who could enter certain sensitive facilities were strengthened. For many transportation workers, that meant new credentials and background checks.

Among them is the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), used by workers who require unescorted access to secure areas of regulated maritime facilities and vessels.

For truckers who regularly enter certain port terminals, these checks are now simply part of the job.

These credentials remain so important that Congress has examined in recent years how to prevent duplication between the checks required for TWIC and HAZMAT, since both can involve security assessments conducted by the TSA.

A Change Still Felt 25 Years Later

For a driver who today crosses a border with commercial cargo, applies for a HAZMAT endorsement, enters a port facility or works within an international supply chain, many of these rules may simply seem like part of the system.

But a significant part of that structure has its roots in what happened 25 years ago.

9/11 did not only change the way people board an airplane in the United States. It also changed how cargo is screened, ports are protected, borders are monitored and risks associated with ground transportation are assessed.

America’s highways continued moving the economy, but from that September forward, they did so under a new reality: national security was riding in the truck, too.