Senator Tuberville Proposes English Requirement for Ride-Sharing Drivers
During an appearance on Mobile Radio’s FM Talk 106.5, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) unveiled the Basic English Requirements Understanding Act, or UBER Act. This legislation aims to mandate that drivers for government-contracted ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft must be proficient in English, as stated by his Senate office.
The intention behind this proposal is to “enhance safety for rideshare users” by ensuring drivers can read and write in English, which would align their hiring qualifications with those required for federal commercial driver’s licenses.
Violators of this law could face a five-year prohibition from receiving federal contracts.
“You know, I really dislike this new law,” Tuberville commented. “I mean, honestly, we’ve had solid laws in this country for over 250 years. But with so many people crossing the border without proper documentation, many of them don’t understand English. This puts Americans in danger. Just look at the CDL drivers. There are accidents happening on the highways because some can’t read essential signs. It’s not really their fault; they just can’t interpret the information. But I’ve heard from many people that it can be quite frightening to ride with an Uber or Lyft driver who might not understand basic instructions.”
He added, “We’re not asking for a lot here. We just want passengers to feel safe knowing their driver can read a stop sign or follow simple directions. These platforms have been hiring undocumented workers to boost their numbers for more rides, and it seems like their priority is just to increase stock prices. It should really be about supporting American workers. The reality is that this bill makes sense, and I hope to collaborate with others in my group. It would be great to get some support from Democrats in the Senate, but right now, it’s looking tough.”
Last month, Tuberville also introduced the Secure Commercial Licensing Act, which seeks to ensure that all commercial driver’s license exams are conducted in English, particularly after incidents involving truck drivers lacking fluency in the language.
