US Threatens to Cut Federal Funds Over English Requirement for Truckers

The US Department of Transportation is warning three states — California, New Mexico, and Washington — that they could lose millions in federal funding unless they enforce English proficiency standards for commercial truck drivers.

The move is part of Donald Trump’s push to tighten rules around foreign drivers. Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a halt to all new worker visas for commercial truckers. And back in April, Trump signed an executive order requiring truckers to demonstrate they can read road signs and communicate with authorities in English.

According to the Transportation Department, California inspectors carried out about 34,000 checks since the rule took effect. They found plenty of safety violations — but just one case where a driver was pulled out of service for not meeting the English requirement.

In fact, 23 drivers flagged elsewhere for language issues were still allowed to keep driving after inspections in California.

Washington reported more than 6,000 safety violations, yet only four drivers were sidelined for English language problems. And New Mexico hasn’t pulled a single driver off the road for this reason.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says that’s not good enough.

“Americans are a lot safer on roads alongside truckers who can understand and interpret our traffic signs. This common-sense change ensures the penalty for failure to comply is more than a slap on the wrist,” Duffy said.