Alabama truckers among first ticketed under tougher English-language rule
Police in DeKalb County, Alabama, ticketed two truck drivers for not speaking English. They are among the first cited under the reinstated federal English-language requirement, according to WAFF.
Jose Reyes, a bilingual trucker from Huntsville, said the enforcement didn’t surprise him. He noted he has often translated for drivers involved in accidents.
Mark Colson, president and CEO of the Alabama Trucking Association, said the rule helps improve road safety by ensuring drivers can read signs.
“The English language proficiency standard has been there for a long time,” Colson said. “It’s all about safety. It’s all about being able to read the rules of the road, being able to communicate with law enforcement and the general public.”
Why enforcement is ramping up
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is now enforcing a Trump-era executive order that toughens language requirements for commercial truck drivers.
Trump signed the order in April 2025. It requires officials to remove drivers from the road if they are unable to speak or read English. The policy reverses Obama-era guidance that typically issued warnings or citations instead.
Under existing federal rules, commercial drivers must understand road signs, communicate with officials and maintain records in English.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed in May that the department would remove drivers from service if they fail to meet English requirements.
As part of the new enforcement, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) must update its roadside inspection rules to ensure that officials immediately take any drivers who fail the English requirement out of service. The order also directs agencies to conduct a security review of how states issue commercial driver’s licenses to international drivers and out-of-state residents. The order aims to create more uniform standards.
Mixed reactions from the industry
While the American Trucking Association praised the move. They argued that it will fix the “uneven application” of existing rules, but the policy has sparked fears of discrimination and worsening labor shortages.
The Sikh Coalition fears that roadside English tests could be used to profile drivers based on their accent or appearance.
“To be clear, the Sikh Coalition is not opposed to common sense safety reforms — including the obvious fact that all truckers must have basic English language skills to drive safely in the United States,” Mannirmal Kaur, Sikh Coalition Senior Federal Policy Manager, said. “We are committed, however, to working to ensure that any new rules resulting from this order do not disproportionately or discriminatorily impact Sikh and Punjabi truckers.”
Impact on driver availability
Critics warn the policy could worsen the trucker shortage. Kevinson Jean, a Haitian American trucker, told NBC News that language barriers make job access difficult. He said the rule could deter capable drivers from entering the industry.
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records show over 15,000 English-language violations in the past two years; Texas accounted for 16% of those cases.
A federal advisory board found that 3.8% of CDL holders have limited English proficiency. FMCSA enforcement data showed more than 15,000 language-related violations in the past two years, with Texas accounting for 16%. Despite the push for safety, many worry the policy could sideline workers without addressing systemic issues like pay, training and working conditions.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
