In DeKalb County, Alabama, police issued tickets to two truck drivers for their inability to speak English. This marks one of the first instances under the reintroduced federal English-language requirement, as reported by WAFF.
Jose Reyes, a bilingual truck driver from Huntsville, expressed that this enforcement did not catch him off guard, mentioning he frequently translates for drivers who have been involved in accidents.
Mark Colson, the president and CEO of the Alabama Trucking Association, stated that this rule enhances road safety by ensuring drivers can comprehend signage.
“The English language proficiency requirement has been longstanding,” Colson explained. “It’s fundamentally about safety — being able to understand road regulations and communicate effectively with law enforcement and the public.”
Reasons for Increased Enforcement
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is now enforcing an executive order from the Trump administration that intensifies language criteria for commercial truck drivers.
Signed in April 2025, the order mandates that officials must remove drivers from the road if they cannot speak or read English, reversing the Obama-era practices that typically led to warnings or citations.
Diverse Responses from the Industry
While the American Trucking Association welcomed the regulation, asserting it will address the “inconsistent application” of existing rules, concerns about discrimination and labor shortages have arisen.
The Sikh Coalition has raised alarms that roadside English assessments might lead to profiling drivers based on their accents or appearances. “We support reasonable safety reforms, including the necessity for truckers to possess basic English skills,” stated Mannirmal Kaur, Senior Federal Policy Manager of the Sikh Coalition. “However, we aim to ensure these new rules do not unfairly affect Sikh and Punjabi truckers.”
Influence on Driver Availability
Critics warn that this policy could exacerbate the existing trucker shortage. Kevinson Jean, a Haitian American trucker, noted that language barriers can hinder job accessibility, suggesting the rule might discourage qualified drivers from joining the industry.
Federal motor carrier records indicate over 15,000 English-language violations in the last two years, with Texas accounting for 16% of those cases. An advisory board found that 3.8% of commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders have limited English proficiency. Though safety is a priority, many are concerned that the policy overlooks fundamental issues related to pay, training, and working conditions.
