USDOT to require that all CDL testing be conducted in English-only
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced plans to move forward with new rulemaking to require that commercial driver’s license (CDL) tests are only conducted in the English language.
In a Friday, February 20, 2026, news conference, Duffy highlighted recent efforts taken by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to improve highway safety and remove bad actors from the trucking industry, including the recent shutdown of hundreds of CDL schools for failure to meet federal standards, and looked ahead to upcoming regulatory efforts.
English-Only CDL Testing
When looking ahead to future plans to increase compliance and safety in trucking, Duffy said that USDOT would move forward with rulemaking to require that all CDL testing be conducted only in English.
“In the state of California, you can take the driver’s test, the skills test and the proficiency test, in twenty different languages. Twenty different languages. What we’re doing is implementing a rule so there’s one language in which you can take your test. It’s English only. You take the test in English. You can’t speak English, you can’t read English, you’re not going to do well on the test because every test is going to be required to be in English,” said Duffy.
Duffy also said that he would ask states to disqualify the CDLs of drivers who lack proficiency in English, noting that USDOT lacks the power to revoke the licenses at the federal level.
The move to English-only CDL testing comes after several months of increased enforcement of English Language Proficiency standards for commercial vehicle drivers, sparked by an Executive Order from the White House issued in April 2025.
Crackdown On Chameleon Carriers
Additionally, Duffy promised a crackdown on fraudulent trucking companies, or chameleon carriers.
“We want to know that who you say you are, you actually are, because right now, it’s a very loose set of requirements. One individual can get a hundred DOT numbers,” said Duffy.
Duffy vowed to verify the physical locations of motor carriers, noting “you can’t have 200 DOT numbers going to a P.O. Box.”
Duffy also promised increased action against Electronic Logging Device (ELD) tampering.
See the press conference below.
MOMENTS AWAY: @USDOT and @FMCSA give BIG UPDATE on new action to secure American roads
Watch below https://t.co/XrfwXcyvU3
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 20, 2026
OOIDA Applauds USDOT For Enforcing Stronger Standards For Trucking
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) thanked USDOT for acting to improve safety standards and regulatory compliance in the trucking industry.
“OOIDA and the truckers across America that we represent applaud Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs for taking decisive action to make our roads safer and our industry more professional. For too long, individuals have entered the trucking workforce under the false narrative of a nationwide ‘driver shortage’ without receiving the training necessary to safely operate an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle. For years, chameleon carriers, CDL mills, and weak English language proficiency enforcement have allowed unqualified drivers to slip through the cracks compromising safety as well as facilitating fraud. Rather than lowering standards, the Trump Administration is strengthening training, licensing, and qualification protocols to ensure properly trained and vetted drivers operate on our nation’s highways. That is a win for public safety and for the professional truckers who take pride in this industry,” said OOIDA President Todd Spencer.