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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Friday that all truckers and bus drivers will soon have to take commercial driver's license (CDL) tests in English, citing safety concerns.
Duffy said the move would ensure all drivers understand English well enough to read road signs and communicate with police officers, following a series of incidents involving foreign-born drivers in recent months.
“When we get on the road, we should expect that we should be safe. And that those who drive those 80,000-pound big rigs, that they are well-trained, they’re well-qualified, and they’re going to be safe," Duffy said Friday.
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Why It Matters
The issue, while primarily about road safety, is heavily tied to the Trump administration's immigration policies and the White House's efforts to crack down on states that make certain allowances for immigrants, including conducting driving tests in languages other than English. One of President Donald Trump's first actions upon his return to office was to sign an executive order declaring English as the official language of the U.S.
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Trump Admin Calls for English-Only CDL Tests
Speaking Friday afternoon, Duffy said he was making changes because millions of immigrants had been allowed into the U.S. and many had become truck drivers without proper English-proficiency rules. The secretary said that many states had issued licenses "illegally," including California and New York, although this was not backed up with evidence during his news conference.
Under the new plans, Duffy said the federal government would ensure current rules were enforced, including CDL schools complying with Department of Transportation (DOT) expectations.
While the federal government cannot revoke licenses, as that power lies with states, Duffy said he would be encouraging them to take licenses from drivers who cannot speak and understand English.
The DOT said earlier this week that 557 driving schools should close because they failed to meet basic safety standards. The department has been aggressively targeting states that issue CDLs to immigrants since a fatal crash in Florida in August, which saw three people killed when a trucker made an illegal U-turn.
Duffy added that the registration system and requirements for trucking companies would be strengthened, while Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration inspectors conduct more spot checks of trucks and CDL schools. As of Friday, companies only have to pay a few hundred dollars and show proof of insurance to achieve registration.
The current setup made it easier for fraudulent companies known in the industry as chameleon carriers to register multiple times under different names, then simply switch names and registration numbers to avoid consequence after crashes or other violations, Duffy said, adding that this practice would end.
What People Are Saying
Duffy, on Friday: "One administration will pass off to the next administration kind of what they inherit ... and no one ever stops and says, 'How is this organization organized? What rules do we have in place, and what do we have to do in this administration to fix the problems that exist?'"
What Happens Next
Duffy said he would not pass off problems to the next administration, and encouraged states to work with the U.S. DOT on the issue.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 2/20/26, 4:45 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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