Trump administration makes English proficiency a permanent rule for U.S. truckers

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy moves to codify English language requirements for truckers, ensuring future administrations cannot reverse the rule.

Duffy announced the changes on Friday via X, stating the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving to permanently enforce English Language Proficiency requirements for commercial drivers, reversing what he described as a 2016 Obama-era weakening of the rule, according to Breitbart.

Under the new standard, drivers unable to read English or understand road signs will be placed out-of-service. Duffy said over 26,000 drivers have already been removed from U.S. roads for failing proficiency tests, with more expected.

The move stems from President Trump’s April 2025 executive order on trucking safety standards.