WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday requiring truck drivers to pass English literacy tests as a “non-negotiable safety requirement.”
“We thank the Trump Administration for responding to our concerns on the uneven application of this existing regulation, and we look forward to working with FMCSA and the law enforcement community on an objective, consistent and effective enforcement standard,” said Dan Horvath, American Trucking Associations (ATA) senior vice president of regulatory and safety policy.”
Executive Order
The order directs U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to rescind guidance that watered down the law requiring English proficiency for commercial drivers, according to the order. Additionally, the order:
- Mandates revising out-of-service criteria to ensure drivers violating English proficiency rules are placed out-of-service, enhancing roadway safety.
- Instructs the Duffy to review state issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses to identify any irregularities and ensure American drivers are validly licensed and qualified.
- Directs Duffy to carry out additional administrative, regulatory or enforcement actions to improve the working conditions of America’s truck drivers.
English Proficiency Requirements
Federal law requires all commercial motor vehicle drivers to demonstrate English proficiency, according to the ATA. Under 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2), drivers must read and speak English well enough to:
- Communicate with the public and law enforcement.
- Respond to official inquiries.
- Complete required reports and logs.
The requirements remain fully in effect today and are subject to citation. However, ATA has received reports that the requirement is often misinterpreted and enforcement of this provision is inconsistent, likely as a result of a 2016 enforcement memo issued by FMCSA on this matter.
Earlier this month, Chris Spear, ATA president and CEO sent a letter to Duffy to urge DOT to “immediately review its directives related to enforcement of the English proficiency standard” and work with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to ensure proper and consistent enforcement action is taken.
Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC)
“The SBTC applauds President Trump and Secretary Duffy for taking the bull by the horns and effectively voiding the FMCSA’s unsafe MC-ECE-2016-006 enforcement stand down memo through executive order,” the SBTC said in an email to The Trucker. “America, as a result, will now see that the roads will now be safer with truckers being required to speak, understand and read English. However, this executive order is only as good for as long as Donald J. Trump is President. Congress should take this as a sign that the President believes this is an important public safety issue. They should immediately introduce and pass our proposed CONNOR’S LAW bill and permanently codify it into law.”
Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA)
“OOIDA and the 150,000 truckers we proudly represent strongly support President Trump’s decision to resume enforcement of English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA president. “Basic English skills are essential for reading critical road signs, understanding emergency instructions, and interacting with law enforcement. Road signs save lives—but only when they’re understood. That’s why OOIDA petitioned the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance earlier this year to reinstate English proficiency as an out-of-service violation. Today’s announcement is a welcome step toward restoring a common-sense safety standard.”
Trump says Order is an Effort to Support America’s Truck Drivers
“President Trump recognizes that America’s truck drivers are essential to the strength of our economy, the security of our Nation and the livelihoods of the American people,” the Whitehouse said.
The Whitehouse Fact Sheet concerning the order states:
- President Trump believes that English is a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers, as they should be able to read and understand traffic signs; communicate with traffic safety officers, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station personnel; and provide and receive feedback and directions in English.
- Federal law mandates that commercial vehicle drivers read and speak English sufficiently, yet this requirement has not been enforced pursuant to Obama Administration guidance, compromising roadway safety as trucking fatalities have increased since this guidance was issued.
- Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States, killing over 120 people every day.
- The Trump Administration is committed to enforcing this law to protect the safety of American truckers, drivers, passengers, and others by ensuring that anyone operating a commercial vehicle is properly qualified and proficient in English, the national language.
English as America’s Official Language
Trump noted in the order that the move is an additional step to reinforce the importance of English as the country’s official language. According to the order:
- President Trump previously signed an Executive Order designating English as the official language of the United States.
- With this executive order, President Trump is ensuring commercial drivers meet established English-proficiency standards to safely navigate roads, comply with regulations, and communicate effectively with authorities and employers.
Arkansas Trucking Association
The Arkansas Trucking Association is also supporting the order.
“After successfully advocating for solutions in Arkansas, we’re pleased to see this issue elevated to the national level where it can have the greatest impact,” said Shannon Newton, Arkansas Trucking Association president. “Because trucking is fundamentally an interstate industry, a federal approach is necessary to ensure consistent enforcement of the safety standards across all highways.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
God bless President Trump, we’re finally doing executive order for all speaking cdl. Drivers, hopefully we’ll keep our roads safer. Our rates will hopefully go up and if I have to go by the rules of the United States citizen that I must understand and read English, it’s proficiously. Before I get my cdl, then by God, everybody else has to go by the same rule. All you little cry, babies out there. saying it’s not fair It not fair. Yes, it is fair if I have to do it as a us. citizen you have to do it period for a cdl? License holder
i totally agree being a driver for 45 years over the past 12 years I’ve seen a drastic change in the new so called truck drivers. also I would like to add that all CDL license holders must get a TWIC card that would get rid of alot of riff-raff in the industry I’m sick of people that take copies of my driver license at shipper and receivers with all my info such as address, DOB,and license number period…..
maybe the D.O.T officers should be American born citizens that speak perfect English as well!
well, you clearly can’t write in English because that is a lot word salad. I am reporting you so that you can be jailed and deported.
Maybe CDL carries should be American born citizens that speak perfect English as well!! Great idea!!!. MAKE AMERICAN ROADS SAFE AGAIN!
I after 35 years in the industry can’t understand how the foreign drivers can get away with all the illegal crap they do, running scales , overweight loads, unsafe vehicles, and when you ask DOT or the officers in the scales, this is the answer, OH, we can’t mess with them, WHY, no answer, I thought as a CDL license driver you had to follow the state and federal regulations, it’s seems a little fishy to me, maybe more people should look into this matter, state officials and federal officials, !!!!
He won’t need the trucking industry! No country wants to trade with the idiot
It’s about time. All our street signs are in English. Pilots and air controllers have to speak English world wide. No reason to not make drivers on this country to speak English, it should apply to all, not only CDL!
The test is in English, ENTIRELY. The written test for the endorsements, and the road test. So – better seek those who got their licenses the “other way” by paying someone, without bothering to go through the trucking school, without taking the written exam, and without taking the drive test. In English. This country is built by immigrants – EVERYONE, unless part of one of the indigenous tribes, is of an immigrant decent regardless how many generations ago or if they came on the Nina, Pinta or Santa Maria.. Let’s not blindly put people against people. Rather – look at it if it is legally obtained CDL or bought on the black market.
Um, it seems that many do in fact want to trade with the US. Leveraging the power of our market is forcing them to the table. China’s resolve is crumbling along with its manufacturing sector. We’ve been taken advantage of for far too long.
this has been a law since 1961 , 392.11 in the fmcsa law. California started this crap by allowing anyone to get a CDL.
even having the test written in other languages. so it should have been enforced all along.
glad to see it finally enforced. they have stolen from the industry far to long.
this is why rates suck right now, hauling for nothing and not paying taxes.