President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday, April 28, mandating that all commercial truck drivers operating in the United States be proficient in English. The directive builds on a prior policy designating English as the official language of the U.S.
According to the administration, the directive aims to improve public safety and align with existing federal regulations.
“President Trump believes that English is a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers,” the order reads. “Federal law mandates that commercial vehicle drivers read and speak English sufficiently, yet this requirement has not been enforced pursuant to Obama Administration guidance, compromising roadway safety.”
Why does the administration believe this policy is necessary?
Under the new order, truck drivers must be able to read and speak English “sufficiently to converse with the general public.” They must also understand traffic signs and communicate with law enforcement, border agents, agricultural checkpoint officials and weigh station personnel.
The directive cites a rise in trucking-related fatalities and reported communication barriers between drivers and public safety officials as key motivations for the policy. The administration attributes some road safety concerns to limited English proficiency among drivers.
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How will the administration enforce the new rules?
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been directed to issue updated guidance regarding English proficiency testing and enforcement procedures. Drivers who fail to meet the revised standards will be removed from service.
“Federal law is clear, 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,” Duffy said. “This Department will always put America’s truck drivers first.”
Have industry groups supported this order?
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, representing approximately 150,000 truckers, voiced support for the directive. The organization’s president, Todd Spencer, stated that “basic English skills are essential for reading critical road signs, understanding emergency instructions, and interacting with law enforcement.”
Are there any notable examples of language barriers causing accidents?
On Election Day 1994, a truck driver’s tail light assembly was dangling off of his trailer as he drove along a Milwaukee expressway. Other commuters tried to warn him, but he did not speak English. The assembly eventually fell off of the truck, sliding underneath a minivan carrying a family of eight and ruptured the minivan’s gas tank. The six children were burned alive, and their parents were severely injured.
An investigation of the accident eventually led to the arrest and conviction of Illinois Gov. George Ryan. It became a now-infamous “license for bribes” scandal that put the lawmaker behind bars for years.
Have Trump’s policies enforcing English-speaking seen pushback?
In contrast, legislators within the Congressional Tri-Caucus have raised concerns about the potential effects of Trump’s policies mandating the use of English on immigrant workers and non-English-speaking communities.
Leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus issued a joint statement criticizing the order setting English as the official U.S. language. They described it as a “thinly veiled attempt” to discriminate against individuals with limited English proficiency. The groups also warned that it could restrict access to federal services for millions of Americans.
“People who speak another language other than English are just as American as those who do,” the groups’ statement read. “That’s been true since the founding of our country. We will not let President Trump change this fact.”
What happens next?
Congressional Tri-Caucus leaders said they would “fight to protect Americans’ right to access federal services in any language.” However, opponents have not announced specific legal challenges to this order.
