The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has moved to make English-language proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers a permanent part of federal regulations, saying drivers who cannot sufficiently read or speak English or understand highway signs and signals must be placed out of service.The department announced the proposed rule after Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy directed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to codify existing English-language proficiency (ELP) enforcement guidelines.The DOT said in a post on X: “TRUCK DRIVERS MUST SPEAK ENGLISH FROM NOW ON!” It added: “@SecDuffy rule for truckers is here to stay! This is about making America’s Roads Safe Again.”
DOT seeks to cement English proficiency rule
Under the proposed rule, commercial motor vehicle drivers who fail to sufficiently read or speak English or understand highway traffic signs and signals would face immediate out-of-service orders.The DOT said more than 26,000 drivers have already been taken off US roads for failing ELP requirements since the Trump administration reinstated stricter enforcement in 2025.“Federal law is clear, drivers who can’t read or speak English—our national language—or understand road signs are unqualified to operate 80,000-pound big rigs on America’s highways,” Duffy said.“By making these commonsense English proficiency standards permanent, we are closing a dangerous loophole that has cost Americans their lives,” he added.FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs said the rule would ensure roadside inspectors have the authority to immediately remove an unqualified driver from service.“When a driver can’t read a ‘Steep Grade,’ ‘Runaway Truck Ramp,’ or ‘Do Not Enter’ sign, people die,” Barrs said. “This rulemaking codifies commonsense safety into law.”The DOT said federal English-proficiency standards for commercial drivers have existed since 1937.However, a 2016 policy introduced during the Obama administration prevented inspectors from placing drivers out of service solely for failing an English-proficiency evaluation, instead allowing them to issue administrative citations.
Proposed rule targets cross-border trucking
The proposed rule would also establish a nationwide standard, requiring states to apply the same out-of-service requirement to drivers who fail to meet federal ELP standards.The DOT said the measure would address enforcement at the US-Mexico border, including cases involving drivers who cannot sufficiently read or speak English before they travel beyond designated commercial border zones.The department said the rule is intended to prevent unqualified drivers from continuing onto US roads and into American communities.The proposal is subject to a public comment period before FMCSA can issue a final rule. If finalised, the codified requirement would make it more difficult for future administrations to weaken the current English-language proficiency enforcement standards.