AUSTIN, Texas — U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Sean P. Duffy signed an order on Tuesday at a trucking event in Austin announcing new guidelines to strengthen English language enforcement for commercial truck operators.
“America First means safety first,” Duffy said. “Americans are a lot safer on roads alongside truckers who can understand and interpret our traffic signs. This common-sense change ensures the penalty for failure to comply is more than a slap on the wrist.”
Compliance Failures will be Placed Out-of-Service
Under the new guidance, commercial motor vehicle drivers who fail to comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) longstanding English-language proficiency (ELP) requirements will be placed out-of-service.
This new guidance is in line with President Trump’s April 2025 Executive Order to strengthen highway safety by ensuring that all commercial drivers are properly qualified and proficient in English, according to a USDOT press release.
“In April, Secretary Duffy announced steps to rescind a dangerous Obama-era policy that dismissed ELP requirements for CMV drivers,” the release said.
OOIDA Applauds Order
“I want to thank Secretary Duffy for hosting this important event,” said Todd Spencer, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) president, CEO. “And I want to thank President Trump for taking bold action to put highway safety first by signing the Executive Order that restores English language proficiency as a core safety requirement for commercial drivers.
Spencer added that the move “is a good day for truckers. It’s a good day for families. And it’s a good day for common sense.”
“Out on the road, there’s no margin for error,” Spencer said. “Truckers drive 80,000-pound vehicles through all kinds of terrain—steep mountain passes, narrow turns, busy city streets. The only thing separating safe trips from deadly ones can be a simple road sign. These signs aren’t suggestions. They’re warnings. They save lives—but only if they’re understood. That’s why English proficiency behind the wheel isn’t some bureaucratic requirement—it’s a life-and-death safety standard. Truckers must be able to read road signs, communicate with law enforcement, and respond in emergencies. When that doesn’t happen, people get hurt—or worse.”
Spencer noted that enforcement of the ELP requirement had been “gutted” for over a decade resulting in safety violations not going away, but no longer being tracked
“OOIDA has advocated for returning English proficiency to the list of serious violations—and we’ve been calling on federal regulators to restore accountability and focus on real safety,” Spencer said. “And now, because of this Administration’s leadership, that’s exactly what’s happening.”
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.
can already imagine the racist DOTs from different states attacking us Latinos, saying that we need university-level English to be able to drive, without realizing that those who do not respect the laws are African Americans and Americans with perfect English, I am a Latino truck driver for more than 12 years on the highway and as you see, I speak, read, and write and I have had to go through those hardships with racist DOTs on the highway, well the Officers will have to drive trucks themselves, because many like me will stop driving and remind them that 80% of this economy is powered by trucks. Let’s see what they will do with this problem that they themselves created
you’re right…the main problem for latinos drivers are DOT’S racist…the only thing to defend your CDL if something happens is “go to the Judge and fight”
When a shipping dept. in Fort Smith AR. has to install a computer program to translate instructions to a driver on plant safety rules and loading instructions because he can’t understand or speak english, those “drivers” don’t have any business behind the wheel! I watched this happen regularly while loading at Gerdau, and had to deal with these people in the yard where the computer wasn’t available. Safety be damned, just let anyone around steel loading, right!
@ Eddie Martinez – Point was valid until you chose to point fingers at others. Safety is important. It is unfortunate that some people will be pulled into the fray. Simple fix – show that you speak and understand the English language and the rules of the highway that govern us all.
This should be a no brainer! English is the language of America! Officially! Therefore it starts with licensing and hiring! If you can’t pass an English proficiency test, road sign test, log book test etc! You don’t drive commercial vehicles! And thus language leniency started years ago, when milk cartons and other grocery items were/are printed in two languages! Some in Spanish only! It was and still is the ‘dumbing down’ of our Spanish speaker LEGAL residents! That’s why the left almost always won the Latino vote! Trump changed that! Go to Mexico and see how many local products are in English! But I digress! Safety is the key!
If the goal is to enforce English-only testing, then offering the written exam in multiple languages contradicts that purpose. Holding a CDL license already demonstrates the ability to read traffic signs, making that argument questionable at best.
I agree with Ed—this policy could worsen the already critical driver shortage. Cathy, you’re right that Ed makes a valid point, but blaming specific groups of people isn’t the solution. A more constructive approach would help address the real issues.