One fatal crash in Florida triggered a political storm that could soon force every U.S. trucker—regardless of origin—to pass a tougher English test just to stay on the road.
Quick Take
- Congressional Republicans introduced a wave of bills in 2025 requiring truckers to pass stricter English exams, citing deadly accidents involving non-English-speaking drivers.
- A Trump administration executive order now mandates “non-negotiable” English proficiency for commercial drivers, intensifying scrutiny and enforcement nationwide.
- Supporters argue these measures are critical for highway safety, while critics warn of labor shortages and barriers for immigrant drivers fueling America’s supply chain.
- The fate of the bills remains uncertain, but the executive order’s impact is already rippling across the trucking industry and immigrant communities.
English Proficiency Becomes the New Battleground on America’s Highways
Several high-profile crashes involving drivers with limited English skills lit a fuse under Congress this year, sparking a flurry of Republican-sponsored bills and executive action. Rep. David Taylor’s Connor’s Law, introduced in May, was quickly joined by new proposals from Sen. Roger Marshall, Sen. Ashley Moody, and Rep. Byron Donalds. Each bill raises the bar for English language proficiency, requiring stricter testing both when drivers get their Commercial Driver’s License and at roadside weigh stations. The common justification: public safety, after a deadly Florida accident in August involving an undocumented driver who couldn’t read road signs or communicate with first responders. Legislators wasted no time responding, and President Trump’s April executive order soon made strict English standards federal policy. The result? A dramatic shift in the rules of the road, with repercussions for millions of truckers—and the industries that depend on them.
This isn’t rocket science.
The foreign truck driver who made an illegal U-turn and killed 3 people in Florida earlier this year got his trucking license in California.
After the accident, he FAILED an English proficiency test.
This Administration cares about Americans being… pic.twitter.com/o3brNFgwzo
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) October 16, 2025
Truck drivers across the country are now anxiously practicing for English exams, worried that even a minor slip-up could cost them their livelihood. Companies that rely heavily on immigrant labor are bracing for disruptions. “We’re hearing from drivers who’ve been on the road for years, suddenly terrified they’ll be booted for a misplaced word,” reports a Texas trucking CEO. Enforcement has swung from sporadic to systematic. The FMCSA, long accused of lax oversight, now faces pressure from the Trump administration to implement roadside language checks and force states to report noncompliance. For decades, federal rules required drivers to “read and speak English sufficiently to converse with the general public,” but those requirements were inconsistently applied. That era is over—for now.
Political Momentum Fueled by Tragedy and Executive Orders
The August crash in Florida drew headlines nationwide, becoming a rallying cry for those demanding stricter standards. Lawmakers quickly blamed language barriers for the tragedy, positioning their bills as life-saving reforms. President Trump’s executive order, issued in April, described English proficiency as a “commonsense rule of the road,” and directed agencies to enforce it without exception. As a result, four major bills were introduced in Congress within six months, each aiming to formalize and expand English testing for truckers. While none have cleared committee, the political message is clear: truckers who can’t pass the test may soon be out of a job. Immigrant advocacy groups decry the measures as discriminatory, warning of mass layoffs and accusations of bias. Trucking companies, meanwhile, fear losing vital workers in an already tight labor market.
Nationwide, the debate is less about whether English skills matter—few dispute that drivers must read road signs and communicate with police—and more about how much enforcement is enough before it starts harming the industry. The bills require states to certify English proficiency as a condition of licensing, and empower federal agents to conduct on-the-spot language checks. The executive order also rescinds Obama-era guidance that allowed more flexibility, signaling a zero-tolerance approach in the current political climate.
Industry Faces Uncertain Future as New Rules Loom
America’s trucking sector, already strained by driver shortages and supply chain hiccups, now faces a new obstacle: a shrinking pool of eligible workers. Industry experts warn that up to a quarter of long-haul truckers are immigrants, many with limited English skills. New barriers could sideline thousands of experienced drivers, forcing companies to raise wages or delay deliveries. Critics argue the crackdown will disrupt the flow of goods, raise consumer prices, and leave rural communities especially vulnerable. Supporters counter that the cost of inaction is measured in lives lost, not just dollars. For now, the bills linger in committee, but the executive order is law—and drivers are scrambling to comply.
The fight over language requirements has become a proxy for larger debates over immigration, labor, and public safety. Trucking associations push for compromise, suggesting targeted training rather than blanket exclusion. Safety advocates insist that only those truly proficient in English should operate 80,000-pound rigs on public roads. As 2025 draws to a close, one thing is certain: whether or not Congress acts, the landscape for America’s truckers—and the goods they carry—has changed for good.
