USDOT boss says 1,500 truck drivers have been taken out-of-service for lack of English language proficiency

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reports that hundreds of truck drivers have been ordered off the road for failing to demonstrate English Language Proficiency (ELP).

On July 30, Duffy took to social media in his role as the head of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to report on enforcement of federal language requirements for commercial vehicle drivers.

“Since I took action to enforce language proficiency requirements for truckers, our state partners have put roughly 1,500 unqualified drivers out-of-service. That’s what I call results!” Duffy said. “If you can’t read or speak our national language — ENGLISH — we won’t let your truck endanger the driving public.”

Duffy’s statement comes just over a month after non-compliance with existing federal regulations requiring ELP for commercial vehicle drivers officially became an out-of-service violation on June 25.

As of June 25, in order to avoid an out-of-service order, commercial truck drivers taking part in traffic stops or inspections must demonstrate the ability to read and speak the English language and to understand road signs.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) added “English Proficiency” to the agency’s North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria following an Executive Order (EO) issued by President Trump demanding increased enforcement of federal English-language requirements for commercial truck drivers. Trump’s EO directed agencies to rescind a 2016 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) memo that instructed law enforcement not to place truck drivers out-of-service for ELP violations.