by WorldTribune Staff, November 12, 2025 Real World News
More than 7,000 truck drivers have been barred from operating in the U.S. after failing the Trump Administration’s English proficiency test, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
In a post on X, Duffy said: “7248 drivers placed out of service for failing to meet Trump’s English language proficiency standards as of October 2025.”
“U.S. department of transport requires commercial truck drivers to speak and understand English to operate a big rig- or they will be taken out of service,” Duffy added.
Several fatal road incidents, including a crash in Florida that killed three people, have been attributed to migrant drivers who don’t speak English and failed to understand U.S. road signs.
The driver in the Florida crash, Harjinder Singh, 28, originally from India, failed an English proficiency assessment after the accident, answering only two of twelve questions correctly. He has pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide charges.
Many of the drivers who fail the English proficiency test are getting their trucker’s license in California. The Department of Transportation announced that California would lose over $40 million in federal funding for refusing to comply with the Trump Administration’s rule.
“California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement,” Duffy said.
The rule was reinstated in May under Trump’s executive order, which mandates that commercial drivers must demonstrate sufficient English skills to read road signs, converse with the public, and communicate with officials.
Between June and October, more than 6,000 commercial truckers have been taken off the road for failing roadside English-language checks, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) data.
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