Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy signed an order on Tuesday requiring commercial truck drivers to be fluent in English.
Under the new guidance, drivers who fail to comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s English-language proficiency requirements will be placed out of service.
“America First means safety first. Americans are a lot safer on roads alongside truckers who can understand and interpret our traffic signs. This common-sense change ensures the penalty for failure to comply is more than a slap on the wrist,” Duffy said in a Tuesday release.
The Transportation Secretary’s order builds on President Trump’s April executive order outlining the policy. It rescinded a mandate from former President Obama that prevented enforcement officers from placing non-English speaking drivers out of service.
“I think all these rules and regulations are vital to the trucking industry, but on the other hand, are these measures gonna be used against the people of color to retaliate or to discriminate?” Raman Dhillon, CEO of the North American Punjabi Trucking Association, said in a statement to NPR.
The Trump administration said that the new requirement will ensure drivers are able to read and understand traffic signs; communicate with traffic safety officers, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station personnel while providing and receiving feedback and directions in English.
