BILLINGS — An executive order signed on Monday by President Donald Trump mandates that all truck drivers in the United States must demonstrate their ability to communicate effectively in English. This decision comes as a response to concerns about safety on the roads, particularly regarding the ability of drivers to understand road signs and communicate with law enforcement. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 18% of truck drivers in the U.S. are foreign-born, making this requirement particularly impactful.
Adam Grill, the president of Legacy Corporation International Trucking Academy based in Billings, noted that while the English proficiency requirement is not new to the commercial trucking industry, it has not been enforced in recent years. "It's really nothing new. I think it's important for people to know that it's actually been around a long time," Grill said on Wednesday. He emphasized the critical role truck drivers play in the economy, stating, "Everything is delivered to you by truck drivers. So, if trucks just magically disappeared, then our entire way of life and everything we know about it would cease to exist."
Trump's executive order articulates that the administration will enforce federal law to "protect the safety of American truckers, drivers, passengers, and others, including by upholding the safety enforcement regulations that ensure anyone behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle is properly qualified and proficient in our national language, English." This enforcement is set to begin in 60 days.
Longtime truck driver Shannon Mahany, who was stopped at a Lockwood truck stop on Wednesday, expressed his support for the executive order. "You need to be able to understand the street signs. You need to be able to understand your directions on where you're going," Mahany said. He believes that the mandate will enhance safety on the roads, adding, "Hopefully, they'll either learn the language or get out of the industry."
Mahany's wife, Michelle, also supports the enforcement of the mandate. "Our industry is kind of dangerous in a way, a lot dangerous. And when you have drivers who don't understand the language, can't communicate, it makes them more dangerous," she said. Michelle expressed hope that the requirement would improve safety within the industry.
Despite his support for the mandate, Adam Grill emphasized that the English proficiency requirement should not serve as an exclusionary measure against immigrants. "I don't think that that means that we should only have Americans driving trucks. (My company has people) in Europe right now as we speak. I'm trying to get drivers from other countries and also learn from European ways on how we can improve our driving in the United States," Grill explained. He added a personal touch, noting, "My grandparents were immigrants. So I don't think that should be a barrier. But I do think that especially for highway safety and for uniformity in the industry, it's a good thing."
Meanwhile, in San Diego, the executive order has sparked mixed reactions among truck drivers. Alfonso Hernandez, a trucker based in Sacramento, expressed his support for the mandate, stating, "At least some English. If all the truckers know English, it’s going to be better for everyone." He spoke with Border Report at a truck stop near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, indicating that he believes the requirement will enhance safety.
However, not all drivers share Hernandez's views. Another driver, identified only as Kelvin, voiced his concerns about the strictness of the mandate. "The aggressive way they’re doing it from one day to the next is something too strict and worrisome," Kelvin said. He argued that the ability to drive safely does not necessarily depend on proficiency in English. Kelvin expressed frustration about the lack of clarity regarding how the English tests will be administered, noting that it may depend on the discretion of the officers who stop drivers.
The Trump administration has yet to provide specifics on how it will enforce the executive order. Some states, like Arkansas, have already implemented similar regulations that include fines of up to $10,000 for truckers who fail to comply with English proficiency requirements.
As the trucking industry continues to grapple with these new regulations, the implications for foreign-born drivers and the overall safety of the roads remain to be seen. Adam Grill cautioned that the enforcement of the mandate could have a significant impact on the industry, stating, "A very large portion of our industry are individuals that speak languages other than English. So it's going to have an impact. And it's hard to tell what that long-term economic impact will be."
While the executive order aims to bolster safety on the roads, it also raises questions about the balance between ensuring effective communication and maintaining an inclusive workforce in an industry heavily reliant on immigrant labor. As enforcement begins, the trucking community will undoubtedly continue to discuss and navigate the challenges posed by this new requirement.
