Around 6,000 lorry drivers have been taken off the road in just four months after the Trump administration introduced roadside English proficiency tests, according to a new report. The Washington Post cites federal data showing that these commercial drivers were removed between 1 June and Monday for failing the new language checks, which were introduced following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in April. The policy was later formalised in May by Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
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Duffy defended the move, saying: “Americans are a lot safer on roads alongside drivers who can understand and interpret our traffic signs.” He added that the measure ensures “the penalty for failure to comply is more than a slap on the wrist.” The initiative has drawn criticism from industry groups and civil rights advocates, who warn that the tests could disproportionately affect Latino drivers and lead to racial profiling. Brandon Wiseman, president of Trucksafe Consulting, told the Post that English proficiency is “a subjective standard”, making enforcement inconsistent from one officer to another.
The US Department of Transportation has not released the list of questions used in the tests, though experts said they often include basic queries such as “Where are you going?” or “What was your starting point?”. Adalberto Campero, chief executive of the Texas-based company Unimex, warned that the new measures could lead to “stereotyping” and “the singling out of Mexican or Hispanic drivers”. Many drivers, he added, feel intimidated and fear losing their livelihoods. Meanwhile, Duffy announced that $40 million in Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Programme funding would be withheld from California, alleging that the state had failed to enforce the English-language requirement. The funds will be restored once the state complies, the Transportation Department said.
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California officials have rejected the federal government’s claims. A spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom said: “It sounds like the federal Secretary of Transportation needs a lesson on his own road rules. The facts are plain and simple — California’s commercial drivers have a fatal crash rate nearly 40 per cent lower than the national average.” The Washington Post’s analysis showed that California officers have removed just seven drivers for failing English tests, compared with more than 500 in Texas. In response, a Transportation Department spokesperson cited an investigation claiming that one in four non-domiciled commercial licences issued in California violated federal safety standards. They also referred to a fatal crash in Florida involving a driver who allegedly failed an English proficiency test. “We’re not dealing in hypotheticals,” the spokesperson said. “Our solution is fair — drivers must be able to understand the rules of our roads and communicate with safety officers.”
