According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, President Donald Trump is preparing to issue an executive order requiring truck drivers to take English language tests in an effort to improve road safety.
On Monday afternoon, during a press event with new members of the media, Leavitt stated that Trump plans to issue an order directing the Department of Transportation to implement English language assessments for our truckers. This is a significant issue in the trucking industry. The event was separate from a White House briefing held earlier that morning.
Leavitt said Trump is expected to sign the executive order Monday afternoon.
“You may not know this, but there are many communication issues between truckers on the road and federal and local officials, which obviously poses a risk to public safety,” Leavitt continued. “So, we will make sure that all of our truckers, who are the backbone of our economy, speak English. It’s a very sensible policy.” According to information shared with Fox News Digital by a White House representative, the directive instructs Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to revoke the directive, which diluted the legal English proficiency requirement for commercial drivers, and to implement new administrative, regulatory, or enforcement measures aimed at improving working conditions for truck drivers across the United States.
"President Trump believes English is a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers, as they must be able to read and understand traffic signs; communicate with highway patrol officers, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight limit station personnel; and provide and receive feedback and instructions in English," the White House official shared.
According to the White House, truck drivers who cannot demonstrate English proficiency will be removed from service, which will improve road safety.
