❓WHAT HAPPENED: Over 9,500 commercial truck drivers have been disqualified for failing English-language proficiency checks.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, President Donald J. Trump, and federal and state transportation agencies.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Enforcement began in May 2025 across the United States, following directives issued by the Trump administration.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We’ve now knocked 9,500 truck drivers out of service for failing to speak our national language—ENGLISH!” – Sean Duffy
🎯IMPACT: States face federal funding cuts, and stricter licensing enforcement aims to improve road safety.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that more than 9,500 commercial truck drivers have been taken off the road this year after failing federally required English-language proficiency checks, reflecting a major enforcement push under the Trump administration. Duffy revealed the number in a December 10 post on X (formerly Twitter), declaring, “We’ve now knocked 9,500 truck drivers out of service for failing to speak our national language—ENGLISH!” He added that the Trump administration “will always put you and your family’s safety first.”
The stepped-up checks follow a May 2025 directive reinstating strict English-language requirements for commercial drivers. Under the rule, operators must be able to read signage, communicate with law enforcement, and understand safety instructions during inspections. Federal officials say the renewed standards have already removed thousands of unqualified drivers during roadside assessments.
The policy gained momentum after several deadly crashes involving foreign drivers who reportedly failed English tests or obtained commercial driver’s licenses through improper processes. One widely publicized case involved a truck driver who made an illegal U-turn that resulted in three deaths, intensifying scrutiny on state licensing systems and federal oversight.
Duffy has also warned that states could lose federal highway safety funds if they do not properly enforce English-language and licensing requirements. California has been singled out following federal audits that identified extensive noncompliance in issuing commercial driver’s licenses. Officials have signaled that the state could lose tens of millions of dollars in funding if it does not correct the deficiencies.
The crackdown extends beyond language proficiency. Federal regulators have recently removed nearly 3,000 truck driver training schools from the national registry for failing to meet training, documentation, and compliance standards, while thousands more have been warned that they risk losing certification. Duffy characterized the action as necessary to combat “illegal and reckless practices” that allow inadequately trained drivers onto public roads.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has highlighted the connection between immigration enforcement and trucking safety. In coordinated operations earlier this year, federal authorities arrested 146 illegal immigrants accused of operating commercial trucks without proper documentation or licensing. Officials argued that illegal aliens and improperly trained drivers pose elevated risks, citing a series of crashes involving migrant drivers, including one that killed American newlyweds when an illegal immigrant truck driver failed to control his vehicle.
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