The Trump administration is requiring all commercial driver’s license (CDL) tests for truckers and bus drivers to be conducted exclusively in English to improve road safety and weed out unqualified drivers.
Previously, states like California offered CDL tests in multiple languages, but enforcement of English proficiency standards was inconsistent.
Driving the news: The federal crackdown follows fatal crashes involving improperly qualified or undocumented drivers, including one in Florida that killed three and another in Indiana resulting in four deaths, raising industry and public concerns.
- Recent federal inspections found nearly 500 commercial drivers disqualified for inadequate English skills, with California alone pulling over 600 drivers off the roads after initially resisting the rules.
The big picture: Authorities have ordered the closure of 557 driving schools that failed to meet safety standards and are scrutinizing states for improperly granting commercial licenses, especially to immigrants not authorized to work or drive.
- Efforts are also intensifying to root out fraudulent trucking companies, known as “chameleon carriers,” which repeatedly register under new names to avoid penalties after infractions or shutdowns.
- New measures will strengthen registration systems, increase spot-checks on schools and trucks, and ensure electronic log accuracy to boost compliance.
