Trump Orders Strict Enforcement of English Proficiency for Truck Drivers

Donald Trump has directed federal transportation authorities to enforce English language proficiency requirements among commercial US truck drivers, reviving a policy that had been dormant for nearly a decade. The move reclassifies failure to meet these standards as an “out-of-service” violation, effectively barring noncompliant drivers from operating on American roads.

Under federal law, US truck drivers are already required to read and speak English “sufficiently” to interact with the public, respond to officials, understand highway signage, and complete relevant documentation. However, since a 2016 policy memorandum issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), drivers have not been placed out of service for failing to meet the standard. That memorandum has now been rescinded by direct order from the White House.

“Federal law is clear,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy in a press release. “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.”

While federal transportation officials issue guidance, state authorities conduct the bulk of inspections and enforcement. In 2024, for example, federal inspectors carried out only 72,485 of the 2.9 million total inspections, or roughly 2.5%. State officials, working under the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), conducted the vast majority.

In response to Trump’s directive, the CVSA’s enforcement committee voted Tuesday to include English proficiency noncompliance as an out-of-service violation. The organisation’s board will now make the final decision and review the proposal later this week.

The return of this rule follows years of debate. Since at least 1997, the FMCSA has considered revisions to the language requirement, commissioning studies and expanding exceptions for groups such as the deaf and hard of hearing. But enforcement faded after 2015, when CVSA ceased treating the requirement as a basis for taking drivers off the road — a position the FMCSA adopted in 2016.

Industry groups, however, have been lobbying for its reinstatement. Both the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) have cited uneven enforcement and public safety concerns.

“Road signs save lives—but only when they’re understood,” said OOIDA President Todd Spencer. “That’s why OOIDA petitioned the CVSA 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.”

ATA CEO Chris Spear echoed that support, having listed English enforcement as a top priority in an April 2025 letter to Secretary Sean P. Duffy. Other concerns included flaws in the CDL training provider registry and misuse of B-1 visas in the trucking workforce.

In a further step, the Department of Transportation said it would review non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses for irregularities or fraud as part of a broader security effort stemming from the executive order.

As the CVSA prepares to finalise the updated criteria, the trucking industry braces for a regulatory shift that could have lasting impacts on driver recruitment, compliance protocols, and road safety nationwide.