Exclusive—Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: Treating English as a Backseat Language Jeopardizes R

[mystery-ak]

Sean Duffy 28 Apr 2025

President Donald Trump and I will be taking steps to rescind Obama-era rules to treat English as a second language on the road.

Federal law is clear, a driver who cannot sufficiently read or speak English—our native language—and understand road signs is unqualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in America. However, President Obama sacrificed driver safety when he lowered the penalty for violators of the English proficiency rule on the road.

This language requirement is in place for obvious reasons. Drivers, especially operators of heavy vehicles, need to understand critical traffic information like warnings for steep grades or dangerous conditions. Commercial drivers must also communicate effectively during essential inspections or emergencies and interact safely with law enforcement. This isn’t complicated. It’s basic common sense. Americans should not be forced to share the road with illiterate truck drivers. Allowing anyone unable to read a stop sign or understand a police officer to operate trucks weighing up to 80,000 pounds directly threatens the safety of both your family and mine.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has documented cases of drivers whose inability to read our signs and speak our language contributed to fatal accidents. For example, in 2019, a semi-truck driver who couldn’t speak English drove down a crowded highway at almost 100 mph blowing past several signs that warned of steep grades and dangerous curves. The driver ultimately hit multiple vehicles in a fatal crash, killing four and injuring others. In January of this year, a fatal collision in West Virginia involved another non-English speaking driver who fled an accident. The driver who fled required an interpreter for the post-crash investigation. That’s unacceptable. The issue is simple: We’re not putting up signs in any other language than English. We’re requiring drivers speak and read English as a bare minimum requirement.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/04/28/exclusive-transportation-secretary-sean-duffy-treating-english-as-a-backseat-language-jeopardizes-roadway-safety/

[mountaineer]

Mr. M and I have driven rental cars in a few foreign countries where we had at least a rudimentary knowledge of the language. Based on my observations and experiences, I think it's fair to say that a driver who can't understand traffic signs is a hazard to all other drivers. Knowing the language also helps when you get lost or pulled over by the police. 

[mystery-ak]

Truckers Celebrate as Trump Blocks Loophole for Foreign Drivers

Neil Munro 28 Apr 2025

Truckers are celebrating President Donald Trump’s decision to restore enforcement of a rule that excludes foreign truckers from the roads if they cannot read English-language signs and instructions.

“They’re celebrating … Everybody’s excited, they’re happy,” said Shannon Everett, a cofounder of American Truckers United. who explained the truckers’ problems to Breitbart News in March.

The change is set by an executive order to be signed by Trump on Monday. The order tells Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy “to ensure drivers violating English proficiency rules are placed out-of-service, enhancing roadway safety,” and directs him to revamp other aspects of the trucking industry.

In 2016, President Barack Obama’s deputies told highway inspectors to stop pulling licenses from drivers who cannot speak English. That issue ballooned under President Joe Biden when many thousands of illegal migrants, legalized migrants, and B-1 visa visitors got commercial driver’s licenses via lax rules in California and other states.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2025/04/28/truckers-celebrate-as-trump-orders-fix-to-loophole-for-foreign-drivers/

[Right_in_Virginia]

Truckers Celebrate as Trump Blocks Loophole for Foreign Drivers
Breitbart, Apr 28, 2025

Truckers are celebrating President Donald Trump’s decision to restore enforcement of a rule that excludes foreign truckers from the roads if they cannot read English-language signs and instructions.

“They’re celebrating … Everybody’s excited, they’re happy,” said Shannon Everett, a cofounder of American Truckers United. who explained the truckers’ problems to Breitbart News in March.

The change is set by an executive order to be signed by Trump on Monday. The order tells Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy “to ensure drivers violating English proficiency rules are placed out-of-service, enhancing roadway safety,” and directs him to revamp other aspects of the trucking industry.

In 2016, President Barack Obama’s deputies told highway inspectors to stop pulling licenses from drivers who cannot speak English. That issue ballooned under President Joe Biden when many thousands of illegal migrants, legalized migrants, and B-1 visa visitors got commercial driver’s licenses via lax rules in California and other states.

“A prominent trucking insurance executive told me that he estimates more than 40% of the truck drivers in the US are first-generation immigrants,” said a tweet from industry executive Craig Fuller. “10% of the total truck driver population does not speak English proficiently.


More:  https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2025/04/28/truckers-celebrate-as-trump-orders-fix-to-loophole-for-foreign-drivers/

[Right_in_Virginia]

Rapid Response 47
@RapidResponse47
·1h
.
@OOIDA
President Todd Spencer: “OOIDA and the 150,000 truckers we proudly represent strongly support President Trump’s decision to resume enforcement of English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers. Basic English skills are essential for reading critical road signs, understanding emergency instructions, and interacting with law enforcement. Road signs save lives—but only when they’re understood. That’s why OOIDA petitioned the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance earlier this year to reinstate English proficiency as an out-of-service violation. Today’s announcement is a welcome step toward restoring a common-sense safety standard.”

6:07 PM · Apr 28, 2025

https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1916977555602657693

[kevindavis007]

A big win to the union thugs

[Smokin Joe]

A big win to the union thugs

There are a lot of non-union truckers who haul in the US, too. The oil patch is full of them, hauling everything from frac sand to crude oil and production water.

[kevindavis007]

There are a lot of non-union truckers who haul in the US, too. The oil patch is full of them, hauling everything from frac sand to crude oil and production water.

You do realize that when a Democrat takes back the White House, they can reverse this EO. Maybe Trump should take it easy on them.

[Mod2]

Topics merged

[Bigun]

You do realize that when a Democrat takes back the White House, they can reverse this EO. Maybe Trump should take it easy on them.

At the rate they are going there will never be another Democrat (read Commie) in the WH.

[DefiantMassRINO]

Traffic signs have standard shapes, colors, and avatars so drivers do need to be literate to get their meaning.

[rustynail]

Now do driving in flip-flops.