Many immigrant truck drivers across the country have spoken out, calling the rules unfair as state and federal officials prepare to strictly enforce English rules for commercial drivers in the coming weeks.
However, people in the industry say knowing basic English is important for safety.
On April 28, Trump signed an executive order to strengthen federal laws requiring commercial truckers to become proficient in English. The rule was removed in 2016 under the Obama administration. It will now be effective on June 25th.
Florida truck driver Carlos Manuel said he has limited English, but he said “I can still handle my work.”
“Most of us may not be good at English, but we can do our job,” Manuel (34) said.
But in reality, it’s not that simple, said Christopher Mantey, 54, a truck driver in Tampa.
“You need to know English and learn all the ways of American roads,” Mantey said. “To be able to drive a truck, you have to speak English.”
Like many other areas, the trucking industry has diversified its workforce in recent years by recruiting more foreign-born truck drivers. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18% of US truck drivers are foreign-born.
Language barriers can affect communication with dispatchers and law enforcement, especially in states with busy roads, experts said. Florida is one of them. According to the US Department of Transportation, the state has one of the best stocks in internal freight by value.
Alix Miller, president and CEO of the Florida Truck Driving Association, said he knows enforcement is a concern among many immigrants and Spanish-speaking truck drivers in Florida. However, it is important to note that drivers are skilled in English and are expected to be able to perform their duties safely, rather than fluent.
“It is expected that drivers will be able to ensure they understand and follow federal regulations, including being able to communicate with law enforcement and farm officials during inspection and farm checkpoints and make entries in records,” Miller said.
Georgeo Connor, communications director for the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association, said the order was a safety issue. This group is the largest national trade association representing small business trucking professionals and independent truck drivers.
“We continue to approach English proficiency straight as a matter of highway safety,” O’Connor said. “This is entirely about the safety of all road users.”
O’Connor highlighted the case of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos as an example of risks associated with limited English. Aguilera-Mederos caused the fatal 2019 Colorado accident, killing four people and injured several. He was driving a semi-truck at 85 mph when he passed a yellow highway sign that hit another vehicle saying “Runaway Truck Ramp 2000 feet.” He spoke limited English and investigators used an interpreter when questioning him.
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“The incident shows how, despite federal regulations, you can ultimately obtain a commercial driver’s license without speaking or reading English,” O’Connor said. “It also shows fatal consequences.”
Last week, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance voted to remove truck drivers from service due to a violation of English proficiency. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Agency has set rules for the trucking industry, but the alliance has the authority to ensure that drivers are removed from service.
“At this point, we can’t talk about the impact on the industry,” he said.
Adrienne Gildea, assistant executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, said he could not speak about the impact Trump’s orders have on the industry. However, she said in an email that “the English proficiency requirements are existing long-standing regulations.”
Some truckers are already worried about the potential impact and have not wasted time informing them on social platforms like Tiktok. Los Angeles truck driver Rene Rios said in Tiktok that some of his friends might sell trucks because they don’t speak English.
Another user who goes by the screen name Evelyn86, Evelyn Davila said the rule hurts many immigrant families.
“That’s not fair,” said Davila, a Cuban truck driver in Florida. “We’ve been driving these roads for years. What’s the difference now?”
