By JOSH FUNK
Funding Withholding from California
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that California will lose $40 million in funding due to its failure to enforce English language requirements for truck drivers, making it the only state not adhering to these guidelines.
Investigation Origins
This decision follows an investigation launched after a fatal crash in Florida involving a foreign truck driver who made an illegal U-turn. The investigation revealed what Duffy deemed significant shortcomings in California’s enforcement of the English language rules that took effect in June, following an executive order from President Donald Trump. Notably, California had issued a commercial license to the driver, despite the existence of these English requirements prior to the incident.
License Disqualification Concerns
Truck drivers are meant to be disqualified if they cannot demonstrate English proficiency. Duffy indicated that the driver involved in the crash should not have received a commercial license due to his immigration status. This accident has escalated political tensions, with the governors of California and Florida exchanging criticisms, while Duffy emphasized immigration issues during interviews.
California’s Defense
In a formal response last month, California defended its licensing practices, but federal officials expressed dissatisfaction. Following Wednesday’s announcement, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office countered, citing statistics showing California’s commercial truck drivers have a lower crash rate than the national average.
Inspection Statistics
Duffy mentioned that since the new language standards began, California conducted approximately 34,000 inspections, some of which revealed violations. However, only one instance involved an English language violation that resulted in a driver being taken out of service. Moreover, 23 drivers with violations in other states were allowed to continue driving in California.
Reinstatement Conditions
The Transportation Department clarified that California must enact regulations to enforce the English language requirements and ensure state inspectors are testing drivers’ English proficiency during roadside checks to regain the funding.
Legal Implications of the Crash
This crash, which resulted in three fatalities, involved truck driver Harjinder Singh. He was charged with vehicular homicide and immigration violations and remains in custody. The incident drew scrutiny over Singh’s immigration status and English proficiency test failure, with officials blaming California and Washington for issuing his license. However, California maintains that Singh had a valid work permit at the time, and video evidence shows him effectively communicating with law enforcement during a separate traffic stop in New Mexico.
