Washington — Under legislation recently introduced in the Senate, commercial driver’s license holders would be placed out of service for an inability to “read and speak the English language sufficiently.”
Language skills included in the legislation (S. 2991), sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), match those listed as a general qualification for drivers under 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2):
- Converse with the general public
- Understand highway traffic signs and signals in English
- Respond to official inquiries
- Make entries on reports and records
Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH) introduced a similar bill in the House (H.R. 3608) on May 23. The legislation would codify President Donald Trump’s Executive Order, issued in April, mandating that drivers be placed out of service for failing an English proficiency test involving a driver interview and an assessment of highway traffic sign recognition.
Provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations outline English proficiency as a general qualification for drivers.
At the time of the EO, multiple reports stated the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2016 decision to remove federal out-of-service requirements for driver English proficiency stemmed from the agency’s inability to “substantiate the safety impacts” of the rule.
However, in a press release issued in April, FMCSA cites “documented cases where drivers’ inability to read our signs and speak our language may have contributed to a series of fatal accidents.”
A recent study led by a University of Tennessee researcher shows that motor carriers with English proficiency violations had an average safety rating of 6.23 on FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System. That compared with an average of 1.32 for carriers without such violations.
“Higher scores indicate worse safety performance as defined by the FMCSA,” the study states.
The American Trucking Associations and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association support Lummis’ bill.
“The ability to read and communicate in English is not just a matter of convenience, it’s a matter of safety for everyone who shares the road,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a press release. “By ensuring that all truck drivers who operate 80,000-pound pieces of machinery on public roadways can read signs, and communicate with law enforcement and first responders, this legislation strengthens accountability and helps prevent tragedies before they happen.”
