Over 3,000 Truck Drivers Taken Off U.S. Roads for English Proficiency Violations Since June

More than 3,000 commercial truck drivers in the United States have been placed out-of-service since June 2025 for failing to meet federal English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements, according to newly released federal data.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) database shows 3,020 ELP-related out-of-service orders issued nationwide since late June. The enforcement increase follows a White House executive order issued earlier this year that reinstated ELP non-compliance as a violation requiring drivers to be removed from service.

The regional breakdown of violations highlights the scope of the crackdown:

• Eastern region: 386

• Midwest: 615

• Southern region: 878

• Western region: 1,141

This marks a sharp rise from mid-August, when the database listed 1,212 such violations.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that about 1,500 drivers were sidelined by the end of June, shortly after the executive order took effect. Duffy has repeatedly pushed for strict enforcement of English requirements, citing public safety concerns.

The policy shift comes in the wake of a high-profile crash on Florida’s Turnpike that left three people dead. The driver, Harjinder Singh, faced questions over whether his English proficiency met FMCSA standards, intensifying scrutiny on language requirements for commercial drivers.

Under federal law, commercial drivers must be able to read and speak English well enough to understand road signs, communicate with officials, and complete required reports. The rule was initially enforced as an out-of-service violation but was relaxed in 2016 through an FMCSA memo. The new executive order reversed that policy, making non-compliance grounds for immediate removal from service once again.

The surge in violations underscores the growing impact of the administration’s push to tighten language requirements in the trucking industry, a move that could reshape hiring practices and driver availability nationwide.