Truck Drivers Removed for English Language Proficiency Violations

More than 7,000 commercial truck drivers have been taken out of service this year for not meeting federal English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards, as announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on X (formerly Twitter).

Duffy revealed that as of October 2025, 7,248 drivers have been sidelined, based on real-time violation data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This marks a significant rise from the 1,500 drivers reported in July, attributed to increased roadside enforcement since the summer reinstatement of the rule.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation mandates that commercial truck drivers must be able to speak and understand English in order to operate a big rig — otherwise, they will be taken out of service,” Duffy stated in his post.

The FMCSA’s national inspection database shows at least 5,006 ELP-related violations recorded through October, with numbers continuing to grow recently as enforcement ramps up in various states.

This surge follows a White House executive order issued in June, which restored English proficiency as a reason for sidelining commercial drivers. It revoked a 2016 FMCSA memo that had previously instructed officers not to remove drivers solely for language capability issues.

Under the revised policy, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) added English proficiency back to its North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria on June 25, allowing for immediate sidelining due to noncompliance.

While federal officials argue that this policy enhances safety, it has faced backlash from industry groups and carriers, particularly along the southern border, who claim it disproportionately affects bilingual or Spanish-speaking drivers.