In a move aimed at tightening road safety standards, former President Donald Trump signed a new executive order requiring all commercial truck drivers operating in the United States to speak and read English. The order mandates that drivers who fail to meet English language proficiency standards will be placed out of service.
The executive action, signed on Monday, reverses a 2016 policy under the Obama Administration that had removed the penalty of being placed out of service for violating English Language Proficiency (ELP) regulations. At the time, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) stated it could not substantiate the safety impact of such enforcement. However, Trump’s directive reinstates the measure, citing a direct connection between language proficiency and roadway safety.
Rationale for the Change
According to a White House fact sheet, the order “mandates revising out-of-service criteria to ensure drivers violating English proficiency rules are placed out-of-service, enhancing roadway safety.” It asserts that “English is a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers,” emphasizing that truckers must be able to read road signs, interact with law enforcement and regulatory officials, and respond to emergencies.
Under federal regulations specifically 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2) all commercial drivers are required 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, and to respond to official inquiries and to make entries on required reports and records.” While this law has remained in place, enforcement mechanisms were relaxed during the previous administration.
Trump’s order not only revives the enforcement of these provisions but also instructs the Secretary of Transportation to review state-issued commercial driver’s licenses for non-domiciled drivers (those not residing in the U.S.) to identify potential licensing irregularities.
Broader Policy Context
This executive order follows a separate March 1 directive by Trump declaring English as the official language of the United States a move that reignited debate over linguistic unity versus inclusion in public services and government functions. It also comes amid broader efforts to prioritize domestic labor and national identity, themes consistent with Trump’s “America First” policy platform.
An informal sampling of over 500 public comments submitted to the Department of Transportation earlier this year revealed that approximately 10% primarily from independent owner-operators called for stricter enforcement of English-language requirements for commercial drivers.
Industry Reaction
The trucking industry has long been divided over the enforcement of English proficiency rules. Supporters, like the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), praised the reinstated standard.
“Basic English skills are essential for reading critical road signs, understanding emergency instructions, and interacting with law enforcement,” said OOIDA President Todd Spencer. “Road signs save lives but only when they’re understood.”
OOIDA had earlier petitioned the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) to reinstate English proficiency as a basis for placing a driver out of service, arguing that misunderstanding signs or commands due to language barriers could result in fatal outcomes.
However, when the CVSA voted in 2015 to remove ELP from its out-of-service criteria, it cited the FMCSA’s position that the correlation between language proficiency and safety incidents had not been clearly established.
In response to Monday’s order, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a press release urging CVSA to update its policies accordingly. “Once incorporated, FMCSA’s policy will provide uniform enforcement by Federal and State inspectors,” DOT stated.
Potential Impact and Criticism
While the administration frames the order as a public safety initiative, critics argue it may disproportionately affect immigrant drivers, many of whom contribute significantly to the U.S. trucking industry amid ongoing driver shortages. Opponents say that enforcement could become arbitrary or discriminatory without clear, standardized testing procedures for English proficiency.
Moreover, civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups caution that the policy may create barriers to employment for otherwise qualified drivers, especially in regions where bilingual and multilingual workers are common.
Still, proponents argue that ensuring all drivers understand critical roadway communication is a minimal but essential safeguard for national road safety.
