At a trucking school in New Jersey, students are skillfully maneuvering 18-wheelers between traffic cones. Meanwhile, other aspiring drivers conduct safety checks under hoods, verbalizing their inspections as they look for cracks and leaks in steering hoses.
An instructor seamlessly switches between Spanish and English while guiding Manuel Castillo, a native Spanish speaker, in inspecting a school bus. They use a printed script of English phrases to practice what Castillo should say during a roadside inspection.
The urgency to improve English skills has intensified for aspiring and current truck drivers following an executive order from President Donald Trump, stating that truckers lacking proficiency in English would be deemed unfit for service.
“A driver who can’t understand English will not drive a commercial vehicle in this country. Period,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized last month as he revealed enforcement guidelines going into effect on Wednesday.
The updated procedures from the U.S. Department of Transportation aim to enhance inspections to ascertain whether commercial vehicle operators can respond to questions and follow directives in English, as well as comprehend highway signs and electronic message boards.
Truckers who have learned English as a second language are anxious they may lose their jobs over mistakes or if they speak with a strong accent during questioning. Many are working to boost their English proficiency through classes, practicing scripts, and watching instructional videos.
The enforcement of English language proficiency applies to truck and bus drivers engaged in interstate commerce, intending to enhance road safety, particularly after cases where drivers’ inability to comprehend English has been linked to traffic incidents, according to the Transportation Department.
