CVSA Votes to Sideline Truckers Over English Proficiency

In a sweeping move, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) board has voted to make English-language proficiency violations an official reason to place truck drivers out of service. The emergency vote, announced Thursday, follows President Donald Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to tighten English requirements for commercial drivers.

“By adding English language proficiency to the out-of-service criteria, a commercial motor vehicle inspector may place a driver out of service if they cannot demonstrate proficiency in reading and speaking English,” CVSA said in its official release.

Sharp Capacity Reductions Loom

The new rule, effective June 25, reverses a 2016 Obama-era policy that had removed English proficiency from the list of out-of-service violations. Industry analysts warn the impact could be dramatic:

• 10% of U.S. interstate CDL drivers may lack English proficiency, according to insurance experts.
• With over 3 million interstate CDL drivers nationwide, the new mandate could sideline hundreds of thousands of drivers, severely tightening freight capacity.

CVSA’s decision was made under an emergency provision of its bylaws, allowing a board-only vote to meet the president’s 60-day implementation deadline.

Enforcement and Regulatory Updates

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will issue formal guidance to commercial vehicle inspectors to ensure consistent enforcement. CVSA also plans to:

• Petition FMCSA to update the regulation under 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2), officially designating English-language violations as out-of-service conditions.
• Request harmonization of English requirements between 49 CFR Part 383 (CDL standards) and Part 391 (driver qualifications) to ensure regulatory consistency.

Safety Concerns Driving the Policy

This move builds on concerns raised in recent high-profile cases. As previously reported, USDOT highlighted deadly crashes in Colorado and West Virginia where non-English-speaking drivers were involved, underscoring safety risks tied to English deficiencies.

“Federal law is clear, a driver who cannot sufficiently read or speak English—our national language—and understand road signs is unqualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in America,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in an earlier statement.

Source: FreightWaves