President Trump’s executive order mandating English proficiency for truck drivers has received strong industry support as it targets a serious safety concern that has led to numerous fatal accidents across America’s highways.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump signed an executive order in April 2025 requiring truck drivers to demonstrate English proficiency to enhance road safety.
- The order addresses issues with questionable foreign-issued licenses and drivers who cannot read road signs or communicate with safety personnel.
- Industry organizations overwhelmingly support the measure, citing safety concerns and the need to maintain fair wage standards.
- “Connor’s Law,” a bill introduced in the House, aims to codify these English proficiency requirements into permanent law.
- The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has updated its protocols to remove non-compliant drivers from service immediately.
Safety Concerns Drive Industry Support
The trucking industry has rallied behind President Trump’s executive order reinstating stringent English proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers. The April 2025 directive targets a growing problem: drivers operating massive commercial vehicles without the ability to read road signs or communicate with law enforcement and emergency personnel. This issue has become increasingly problematic as more foreign drivers with questionable credentials enter the American trucking workforce, creating potentially dangerous situations on highways nationwide.
“When you’re driving an 80,000-pound truck and you cannot read the road sign, ‘lane closed ahead,’ or ‘lane merging ahead,’ and you plow into stalled traffic at 80 miles per hour, entire families can be killed,” said Shannon Everett, American Truckers United representative.
The executive order specifically directs the Department of Transportation to investigate foreign drivers’ licenses and non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses that may not meet U.S. standards. Industry insiders have pointed to several fatal accidents caused by drivers who couldn’t understand warning signs or communicate effectively with first responders. The order effectively rescinds a 2016 policy that had relaxed these crucial safety requirements, which many in the industry view as a dangerous compromise.
Addressing Credential Fraud and Industry Standards
The presidential order tackles what many industry experts describe as rampant fraud in commercial driver licensing from countries with substantially lower standards. These questionable credentials have allowed potentially unsafe drivers to operate on American highways while simultaneously undermining wage structures for American truckers. The directive mandates stronger verification policies for licenses issued by both U.S. states and foreign governments to ensure all drivers meet the same rigorous standards.
“We have a rampant problem of fraudulent [commercial drivers licenses] coming out of these other countries who don’t have the same standards and checks and balances as the United States,” said Everett, highlighting industry concerns.
The trucking industry has faced high turnover rates for years, but representatives argue the issue stems more from inadequate compensation than an actual driver shortage. By cracking down on questionable licensing practices, the executive order may help level the playing field for American drivers who have complained about wage suppression resulting from the influx of foreign drivers willing to work for significantly lower pay. This could potentially address both safety concerns and economic fairness within the industry.
Legislative Support and Enforcement Mechanisms
Building on the executive order, Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) has introduced “Connor’s Law” in the House to permanently codify these English proficiency requirements. The bill is named after Connor Dzion, an 18-year-old killed in 2017 by a truck driver who couldn’t read warning signs. This legislative effort has garnered widespread support from organizations across the trucking industry, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, American Trucking Associations, and various grassroots trucking groups.
“This is a big win for public safety, for truckers who share the road with other truck drivers, and the motoring public alike,” said James Lamb, SBTC Executive Director.
To implement these requirements effectively, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has added lack of English proficiency to its out-of-service criteria. This means drivers found unable to meet language requirements will be immediately removed from service by enforcement officers. The bill specifically requires commercial driver’s license applicants to demonstrate sufficient English proficiency to converse with the public, understand traffic signs, respond to official inquiries, and make necessary entries on reports—fundamental skills for safe operation on American roadways.
“This commonsense standard should have never been abandoned,” noted industry representative Duffy, reflecting the sentiment of many in the trucking community who view the reinstatement of these requirements as long overdue.
