The push for English in trucking continues, with the US Senate recently introducing a bill for English-only commercial license testing. On Thursday, October 16, Various lawmakers introduced the Secure Commercial Driver Act. The bill bundles two CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) measures introduced by the Senate earlier this year. Under the act, all CDL issuing and renewals must be done in English. Furthermore, it will allow Transportation Security to revoke non-domiciled CDLs that aren’t compliant with federal standards. Truckers must also hold a standard driver’s license for a year before getting a CDL. The bill follows previous mandates by the Trump Administration that required US truckers to meet English standards.
Why Is The Trump Administration Pushing For English In The Trucking Industry?
Along with various other reasons, the primary purpose behind the increase in English enforcement is to promote safety in domestic shipping. One of the representatives who introduced the Secure Commercial Driver Act, Tom Cotton, noted, “For everyone’s safety, you must be able to read and understand English road signs when operating a commercial vehicle. Our bill would require commercial drivers to pass the test in English”. The belief is that drivers who cannot read or speak English well may have a harder time reading signage. For example, being unable to read warning signs and speed limit changes can cause accidents. Not being able to communicate with law enforcement properly could further risk public safety.
In June of this year, President Trump signed an ELP (English Language Proficiency) mandate with the same purpose. The mandate resulted in an out-of-service violation for drivers who could not meet specific English standards. Another goal behind the push for English proficiency is better regulatory consistency in the industry. Enforcing English compliance or risking funding loss levels the playing field for states and carriers. The stricter standards have had a generally positive response from players in the industry. Earlier this month, the ATA (American Trucking Association) sent Congress a letter urging more vigorous ELP enforcement. The letter included a plea for the FMCSA to require an ELP test to allow the issuance of a CDL.
What Are The Concerns Regarding The Push For English In Trucking?
While many in the trucking industry have reacted positively, there have been concerns about the push towards English. A significant issue has been a domestic shipping workforce shortage, which could lead to stricter English standards. In turn, fewer drivers could significantly raise costs and impact supply chains. Another issue is that the more stringent standards could disrupt cross-border trucking, including shipping between the US and Mexico. Delays from language confusion could further impact supply chains. Others believe that testing English proficiency could inadvertently discriminate against immigrant drivers.
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