The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in August that it will move forward with formally codifying English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers. The action is intended to reinforce a requirement already included in federal regulations: drivers must be able to read and speak English well enough to communicate with authorities, answer official questions and understand highway traffic signs.

According to FMCSA, a driver who cannot demonstrate sufficient English proficiency during an inspection may be placed out of service. The agency also reported that more than 26,000 drivers have already been temporarily removed from the road for failing English Language Proficiency evaluations.

For Hispanic truck drivers, this means English is no longer simply a useful skill; it is a compliance issue that can directly affect both operations and income. The goal is not to speak perfect English, but to understand instructions, signs and safety-related questions.

The recommendation is simple: practice vocabulary related to the road, inspections and emergencies, and be prepared to answer basic questions in English during a roadside inspection. Today, a communication problem can lead to an out-of-service order.