English-proficiency crackdown spreads across trucking industry
States are turning up the heat to get unsafe truck drivers off the road.
Federal law requires truck drivers to know enough to read road signs and follow directions in English. But for most of the past decade, the rule was not enforced.
Last year, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association pushed to bring back the penalty. Soon after, President Donald Trump signed an order to restore the rule.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance followed by reinstating penalties for truck drivers who don’t meet the English requirement.
Now, lawmakers across the country are jumping in. They are writing those same federal rules into state law.
Arkansas and Oklahoma moved first last year. So far this year, Alabama, Indiana, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming are following their lead.
And it’s not slowing down. More states are still fighting over whether to do the same.
Missouri
Missouri lawmakers are moving to tighten CDL rules. The change is intended to make sure truck drivers are proficient in English.
Rep. Carolyn Caton, R-Blue Springs, is leading the charge. HB2741 would require both new CDL applicants and current drivers to prove they are English proficient.
Caton says it’s nothing new – just enforcing what federal law already says.
Under the bill, a truck driver must be able to talk with the public, read road signs and signals, answer questions from officials and complete reports and records in English.
Break the rule, and drivers could be pulled out of service and hit with a $1,000 fine. Keep driving anyway, and the penalties could stack up – another $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail.
The bill also puts pressure on trucking companies. Carriers could be fined $3,000 for each violation tied to one of their drivers.
Lewie Pugh is the OOIDA executive vice president. Pugh told lawmakers the focus is simple: safety.
“This isn’t about speaking the King’s English, or anything like that,” Pugh said. “This is about understanding road signs … and if there is an accident, the trucker needs to be able to communicate with first responders immediately.”
The bill also spells out what happens to the truck and its cargo if a driver is stopped and can’t continue.
The House Transportation Committee approved the bill.
Iowa
Iowa is closing in on a tougher system to test truck drivers’ English skills.
SF2426 would block the state Department of Transportation from issuing or renewing a CDL or learner’s permit unless the driver proves they meet federal English standards.
The test would be done on a computer.
Rep. Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge, said enforcement is the missing piece.
“This is a common-sense bill to keep our roads safe. Unfortunately, we have seen many recent and very public examples of tragic, preventable crashes involving commercial vehicles – 80,000-pound vehicles driven by individuals who cannot speak, read or understand the English language,” Meyer said.
She said that since June 2025, about 500 drivers pulled over in Iowa failed to meet English standards.
Truck drivers caught on the road without those skills would be placed out of service. They could also face a $1,000 fine.
The bill also goes after carriers. Companies would be banned from hiring or working with drivers who aren’t proficient in English. Violations could bring serious misdemeanor charges and fines of up to $10,000.
Meyer said the current system relies too much on trust – basically hoping a sidelined driver doesn’t just get back behind the wheel.
“By first requiring English language proficiency when issuing CDLs and then giving law enforcement the ability to level significant penalties and fines against carriers, we can really make a difference, removing these bad actors from Iowa roadways,” Meyer said.
Rep. Elizabeth Wilson, D-Marion, said trucking companies need to be held accountable, too.
“I do think that what we need to hold accountable here are the carriers because it’s the carriers that really are the bad actors taking advantage of people,” Wilson said.
Like Missouri, the bill also lays out what happens to the truck and cargo if a driver can’t continue.
SF2426 now heads back to the Senate for approval of House changes. If approved, it goes to the governor.
Tennessee
Tennessee is also stepping up enforcement.
The Senate passed SB1748 to line up state law with federal rules.
If an officer finds during a safety check that a truck driver is not proficient in English, that driver must be taken out of service.
Their license remains suspended until they can show sufficient English proficiency to communicate with the public, read road signs, answer officers’ questions and complete reports in English.
The Department of Public Safety would create the test that drivers must pass to get back on the road.
If a driver is sidelined, another English-proficient driver can step in and take over the truck.
Companies that continue to put unqualified drivers behind the wheel could face fines of up to $500.
Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, said the bill is focused on who is behind the wheel of large trucks.
“This legislation gives Tennessee the tools to enforce a long-standing federal safety requirement requiring every commercial driver to read road signs, respond to law enforcement, and complete safety documentation in English,” Bowling said.
The bill is now headed to the House. LL