Press Release

For Immediate Release

OOIDA Attends Department of Transportation Event Announcing English Proficiency Enforcement

OOIDA petitioned for change, spoke at media event in support

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) attended a press conference on Tuesday, May 20, in Austin, Texas, where U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the Department of Transportation’s decision to enforce a regulation requiring commercial driver’s license holders to demonstrate English proficiency.

OOIDA leaders, who played a pivotal role in pushing for this policy change, were present in support of the enforcement efforts. The association petitioned the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) earlier this year, requesting that drivers who fail to meet the English proficiency standard be placed out of service. This petition followed the reinstatement of the out-of-service order after an executive order from President Donald Trump in April.

Secretary Duffy emphasized the importance of ensuring that truck drivers can read traffic signs and communicate effectively with law enforcement officers. “English is the language of opportunity in America. Allowing drivers who cannot read stop signs or understand police officers’ instructions to operate an 80,000-pound big rig threatens the safety of every American on our roadways,” Duffy said.

A Long-Standing Regulation
The English proficiency requirement has been in place in some form since 1936, specifying that drivers must “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, and respond to official inquiries.” This regulation has long been considered a safety necessity, and in 2005, non-compliance was classified as an out-of-service violation. However, CVSA removed the enforcement of the regulation from the out-of-service criteria in 2015.

OOIDA’s petition and President Trump’s executive order led to the reinstatement of the out-of-service rule in May, further supported by new guidance from the Department of Transportation.

A Matter of Safety
OOIDA President Todd Spencer delivered remarks at the event, stressing that English proficiency is crucial for highway safety. “Truckers drive 80,000-pound vehicles through all kinds of terrain – steep mountain passes, narrow turns, busy city streets. The only thing separating safe trips from deadly ones can be a simple road sign,” Spencer said. “These signs aren’t suggestions. They’re warnings. They save lives, but only if they’re understood.”

Spencer also called for strengthened licensing standards and better training to improve highway safety.

Duffy reaffirmed the Department of Transportation’s commitment to addressing these challenges and supporting the safety of American roadways.

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