The Trump administration has taken swift action to enhance road safety by removing approximately 1,500 commercial trucks from U.S. highways due to drivers’ insufficient English proficiency, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced on August 7, 2025, according to posts on X. The move, enacted through the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), enforces a federal regulation requiring commercial drivers to read and speak English well enough to understand road signs and signals. “If you’re going to get in a mobile missile, you should speak our language,” Duffy stated, emphasizing the policy’s focus on public safety, per @EricLDaugh on X.
This initiative reverses a 2016 Obama-era policy that instructed inspectors not to issue out-of-service orders for English language proficiency violations, a decision the Trump administration argues compromised safety. Duffy, acting on an executive order signed by President Trump on April 28, 2025, directed the FMCSA to reinstate strict enforcement of the English proficiency standard outlined in 49 C.F.R. 391.11(b)(2), per NBC News. “For too long, misguided policies have prioritized political correctness over the safety of the American people,” Duffy said during a news conference in Austin, Texas, where the state leads in heavy truck drivers.
The policy has sparked mixed reactions. The American Trucking Associations praised the administration for addressing inconsistent enforcement, calling it a step toward safer roads, per NBC News. However, concerns have been raised about potential discrimination and workforce impacts. Mannirmal Kaur of the Sikh Coalition noted that the 150,000 Sikh and Punjabi drivers in the industry fear biased enforcement, asking, “Is it someone who has an accent or maybe someone who wears a turban?” per NBC News. An analysis by the Women of Trucking Advisory Board estimated 3.8% of commercial driver’s license holders have limited English proficiency, with Texas reporting 16% of the 15,200 violations recorded over two years ending in March 2025, per FTR Intelligence.
Key aspects of the policy include:
- Safety Focus: Enforces English proficiency to ensure drivers understand road signs.
- Reversed Policy: Rescinds 2016 guidance that relaxed language requirements.
- Industry Impact: Risks sidelining drivers amid a reported shortage, per critics.
The FMCSA has also launched a nationwide audit of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses to identify unqualified drivers, aligning with Trump’s broader pro-trucker agenda, which includes $275 million for truck parking expansion, per USDOT. While the policy aims to reduce crash risks, like a 2019 fatal incident linked to a non-English-speaking driver, critics argue it may exacerbate driver shortages without addressing pay or training issues, per NBC News. The trucking industry, vital to America’s supply chain, now faces a new chapter of regulatory scrutiny.
