Commercial drivers operating in the U.S. must be meet certain standards in English proficiency or be placed out of service (OOS), according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). Enforcement of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 391.11(b)(2) of the CVSA North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria will begin June 25, 2025.
The announcement by CVSA comes on the heels of an executive order requiring commercial drivers operating in the U.S. to be proficient in English, which was signed by President Donald Trump on April 28.
According to a statement from CVSA, an “English Proficiency (U.S. Only)” heading will be added to the “Part I – Driver” section of the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria stating: “Driver cannot read and speak the English language sufficiently to communicate with the safety official to respond to official inquiries and directions in accordance with FMCSA enforcement guidance. (391.11(b)(2)) Declare driver out of service.”
CFR 391.11(b)(2), “General qualifications of drivers,” states that a driver must be able to read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries and to make entries on reports and records.
“Federal law is clear; a driver who cannot sufficiently read or speak English — our national language — and understand road signs is unqualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in America. This commonsense standard should have never been abandoned,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy in an April 28 statement. “This department will always put America’s truck drivers first.”
In addition, CVSA says it plans to petition the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to update 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2) to identify non-compliance with English language proficiency as an OOS condition. CVSA will also send a petition FMCSA requesting that the agency harmonize the commercial driver’s license English language requirements in 49 CFR Part 383 “Commercial Driver’s License Standards” with those in 49 CFR Part 391 “Qualifications of Drivers and Longer Combination Vehicle (LCV) Driver Instructors” so that the standards are consistent.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
It’s about time!!!
Thank you , president Trump , for standing up for us American truck drivers. It’s a damn shame that we have all these rules to follow and companies hire illegals to run up and down the interstate. It degrades the profession and puts innocent people in extreme danger.
Not to mention the fact that our wages have suffered because the trucking companies know the illegals will work for crumbs.
WE LOVE YOU MR PRESIDENT.
Does this override the Texas intrastate rule?
THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP !!! I firmly believe Americans SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LEARN SPANISH or any other language to speak to these people. This should be signed into law for all professions not just truck drivers. I had a hairdresser from Vietnam. Her and her mother have been here illegally for 30 years and still cannot speak fluent English. When I learned of their illegal status, I never used her again. Speak English or go back to whereever you came from.
thank you president trump for keeping our roadways safe !!!!!!!!!
not exactly happy the federal government is willing to sacrifice safety for another two months absolutely Shameful and disgraceful to the professional trucker’s as well as the general public safety first people!!💯🇺🇸🗽😎🙏🏻
how do they plan on enforcing this? Will this be part of your health card tests for CDL holders already on the road?