US President, Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order requiring truck drivers to speak English and pass literacy tests to improve road safety.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that the order would direct the Department of Transportation to enforce English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers.
This move aims to address communication issues between truckers and federal or local officials.
Leavitt emphasised that communication barriers pose a public safety risk. “This is a big problem in the trucking community.
“You might not know, but there’s a lot of communication problems between truckers on the road with federal officials and local officials, as well, which obviously is a public safety risk,” she stated.
The order will also instruct Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to rescind guidance that weakened the enforcement of English proficiency laws. Additionally, it will prompt further actions to improve working conditions for truck drivers.
A White House official noted, “President Trump believes that English is a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers, as they should be able to read and understand traffic signs; communicate with traffic safety officers, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station personnel; and provide and receive feedback and directions in English.”
Truckers unable to demonstrate English proficiency will be “placed out-of-service,” enhancing road safety.
The order follows a report by Will Cain on Fox News, which highlighted a rise in foreign-born truckers. Cain noted that the Obama administration in 2016 had suspended the enforcement of English proficiency requirements. The Biden administration’s 2024 initiative has also increased truck driving training for refugees, leading to more foreign-born truckers on the roads.
Trump’s expected executive order builds on his previous praise for truck drivers during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. “American truckers are the foot soldiers who are really carrying us to victory. They’ve done an incredible job. We’ve had no problems. It’s been just – it’s been just great. Thank God for truckers,” Trump said.
This marks at least the second executive order related to the English language since Trump’s return to office in January.
In March, he signed an order declaring English the official language of the US, stating that “a nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society.”
The order reversed a 2000 directive from President Bill Clinton, which required federal agencies to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
(Fox News)
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