Washington—Today, after President Trump signed an executive order regarding the enforcement of the English proficiency standard for CDL holders, American Trucking Associations Senior VP of Regulatory & Safety Policy Dan Horvath issued this statement:
“We thank the Trump Administration for responding to our concerns on the uneven application of this existing regulation, and we look forward to working with FMCSA and the law enforcement community on an objective, consistent, and effective enforcement standard.”
Federal law requires all commercial motor vehicle drivers to demonstrate English proficiency. Under 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2), drivers must read and speak English well enough to:
- Communicate with the public and law enforcement
- Respond to official inquiries
- Complete required reports and logs
These requirements remain fully in effect today and are subject to citation. However, ATA has received reports that the requirement is often misinterpreted and enforcement of this provision is inconsistent, likely as a result of a 2016 enforcement memo issued by FMCSA on this matter.
Earlier this month, ATA President & CEO Chris Spear sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to urge DOT to “immediately review its directives related to enforcement of the English proficiency standard” and work with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to ensure proper and consistent enforcement action is taken.