Roll on 18-wheelers, just do it in English please: Trump lays down law on language of the road

Washington, D.C.: US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced the reversal of an Obama-era policy that lowered English language proficiency (ELP) requirements for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The move, in line with President Donald Trump’s new Executive Order, reinforces roadway safety by ensuring drivers can read road signs and communicate effectively.

“Proficiency in English… should be a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers,” reads the order. Trumps says his the order is to support truckers and make the roads safer.

“Federal law is clear—drivers who cannot sufficiently read or speak English are unqualified to operate commercial vehicles,” said Secretary Duffy. “This commonsense standard should never have been abandoned. Our Department will always prioritize the safety of America’s truck drivers and the public.”

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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) records indicate that language barriers have contributed to fatal crashes. In 2019, a non-English-speaking truck driver missed critical highway warnings, causing a high-speed collision that killed four people. Another 2020 incident in West Virginia involved a driver who required an interpreter after a deadly crash.

Federal regulations explicitly state that drivers must understand English to operate CMVs safely. However, a 2016 Obama Administration policy discouraged inspectors from enforcing ELP standards, increasing crash risks.

FMCSA will rescind the 2016 policy and issue new guidance to enforce ELP requirements. The Department also urges the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to update out-of-Service criteria, ensuring consistent enforcement by state and federal inspectors.