More than 311 commercial vehicle drivers removed from Mississippi roads for English violations, officials say

Safety officials in Mississippi say that hundreds of commercial vehicle drivers have been removed from the road for violations of federal English Language Proficiency (ELP) rules.

Over 300 Commercial Drivers Sidelined For English Violations, Mississippi DPS Says

On November 24, 2025, Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commissioner Sean Tindell reported that more than 311 commercial vehicle drivers have been removed from the road for not meeting federal English-communication standards.

Additionally, Tindell said that 145 individuals were referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for investigation.

“It’s encouraging to see states like Nevada and Wyoming follow Governor Tate Reeves and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s lead through ‘Operation Safe Haul’, where 38 commercial drivers were removed for failing to meet English language requirements,” said Tindell.

More Than 7,000 CMV Drivers Out-Of-Service Nationwide For English Violations: USDOT

As of late October 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reported that 7,248 commercial vehicle drivers have been placed out-of service nationwide for failure to meet federal ELP standards.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation requires commercial truck drivers to speak and understand English to operate a big rig – or they will be taken out-of-service,” Duffy stated. 

On June 25, 2025, non-compliance with existing federal regulations requiring ELP for commercial vehicle drivers was returned to an out-of-service violation following a White House Executive Order (EO) calling for increased enforcement of federal English-language requirements for truck drivers issued in the spring of 2025. The EO called for agencies to rescind a 2016 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) memo that directed law enforcement not to place truck drivers out-of-service for ELP violations.