US truckers must speak English: Trump admin moves to make rule permanent

Trucking students practice reverse parking in training trucks at the Driving Academy. (AP Photo) The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has moved to make English-language proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers a permanent part of federal regulations, saying drivers who cannot sufficiently read or speak English or understand highway signs and signals must be placed out of service.The department announced the proposed rule after Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy directed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to codify existing English-language proficiency (ELP) enforcement guidelines.The DOT said in a post on X: “TRUCK DRIVERS MUST SPEAK ENGLISH FROM NOW ON!” It added: “@SecDuffy rule for truckers is here to stay! This is about making America’s Roads Safe Again.”DOT seeks to cement English proficiency ruleUnder the proposed rule, commercial motor vehicle drivers who fail to sufficiently read or speak English or understand highway traffic signs and signals would face immediate out-of-service orders.The DOT said more than 26,000 drivers have already been taken off US roads for failing ELP requirements since the Trump administration reinstated st...