After months of resisting federal requirements for English proficiency tests for truck drivers, California Governor Gavin Newsom has changed his stance, as confirmed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on Friday.
In October, the USDOT withheld over $40 million from California when its Secretary, Sean Duffy, remarked that California was the only state not enforcing regulations that require truck drivers to demonstrate their ability to communicate in English and understand traffic signs.
Duffy stated, “We didn’t need to threaten funding for California to enforce the law.” He also mentioned that critics labeling their actions as political have seen real outcomes resulting from these efforts.
To address road safety, President Donald Trump had signed an executive order in April to potentially remove truck drivers from the roads if they failed the English proficiency test.
Now, state law enforcement must test drivers’ English skills during regular traffic stops, and the USDOT has confirmed that California is beginning to apply this rule and is working on releasing the previously withheld funds.
In a recent incident on the Florida Turnpike, a truck driver involved in a fatal accident reportedly could not speak English well, scoring only 2 out of 12 on verbal questions and recognizing just 1 out of 4 traffic signs during an assessment.
Although California issued commercial licenses in 2024, this occurred before President Trump’s executive order addressing English proficiency.
Duffy remarked, “Had the state adhered to the regulations, this driver could have been prevented from driving, potentially saving three lives.”
The California Highway Patrol has allegedly been conducting covert tests for English Language Proficiency (ELP) since mid-January.
Innovatively, video evidence showed officers evaluating a driver who only partially understood English. No tickets were issued, but the driver’s passenger was required to be fluent in English and drive.
Nick Chiappe, with the California Trucking Association, announced via LinkedIn that the California Highway Patrol has started enforcing English language requirements for all commercial vehicle drivers.
