English Language Proficiency: What Happens If You Fail the English Test as a Truck Driver

Nick Richardson

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A major trucking industry change is here — starting June 25, CDL drivers nationwide can be placed out of service if they fail an English language proficiency test at a roadside inspection. In this THot Right Now update, Amy breaks down what this new rule means, what drivers and carriers should do right now, and the open questions that still need answers.

Stay informed with real trucking news that impacts owner-operators, small fleets, and dispatchers in 2025.

https://youtu.be/3XJlYJAmnxE

What Happens If You Fail the English Test as a Truck Driver (https://youtu.be/3XJlYJAmnxE)

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What’s Changing With the English Language Test

For years, the FMCSA has required CDL drivers to be able to speak English well enough to:

Communicate with officers
Understand road signs
Answer questions about their load, route, and vehicle

But enforcement was mostly suspended for nearly a decade — until now.

✅ What’s new: Starting June 25, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspectors can issue out-of-service violations on the spot if a driver can’t speak or understand basic English during a roadside inspection.

✅ Exceptions: Drivers inside commercial border zones may still be cited, but they won’t be placed out of service immediately.

How Many Drivers Will This Affect

According to an FMCSA report, about 30.8% of CDL holders in the US have limited English proficiency — but some industry insiders say the real number could be higher. Many brokers are already asking to speak directly to drivers to confirm English skills before booking loads.

What Happens If a Driver Fails

This is still unclear. If a driver is put out of service for failing the test, there is no official process yet for how to get back on the road:

Is there a training course?
Is there a retest period?
How long will it take?

As of now, the answers aren’t clear — which puts more responsibility on carriers and fleet managers to check drivers ahead of time.

Trucking Business Tips: How Carriers Should Prepare

✅ Explain the rule: Make sure every driver understands they must speak English well enough to pass a roadside inspection.
✅ Practice: Do a quick English test with each driver. Include highway signs — the MUTCD manual for road signs is more than 1,000 pages long.
✅ Hire smart: Interview new drivers in English. Ask about routes, shipping details, driver license info, hazardous loads, and equipment.

This simple prep could prevent costly out-of-service orders that delay your loads and cost your business thousands.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t about politics — it’s about staying compliant so your trucks keep rolling. If you rely on drivers with limited English skills, now is the time to get them ready.

Have questions about English language proficiency for drivers? Drop them in the comments — and don’t forget to subscribe to This Week in Trucking for the best news for truckers, CDL podcast interviews, and trucking business tips you can actually use.

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Full Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome to this Weekend Trucking. My name is Amy.

Amy: Today I wanted to talk about something we’ve heard a lot about in the last few weeks. English language proficiency.

Amy: We’ve heard a lot of takes on this, but very little actual guidance on what drivers should do about the situation.

Amy: There’s only about a week left before this goes into effect nationwide. So I did a little digging to see what carriers need to know about this situation.

Amy: Here’s what we know on June 25th.

Amy: Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspectors will be able to issue out of service violations to drivers. Unable to pass roadside tests for communicating in English and understanding road signs.

Amy: This is happening as a result of the Trump administration

Amy: and a mandate from the transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy.

Amy: English proficiency has been a requirement on the books for many years.

Amy: But the implementation of the law has been suspended for nearly a decade, starting June 25th, although it’s already in effect in a couple of states. An inspector who finds a driver who’s unable to speak sufficient English can stop and issue an out of [00:01:00] service violation. Even without conducting a highway scientist, an exception to this implementation is in commercial border zones.

Amy: Inspectors will still cite the drivers for the violation in these zones, but won’t place them out of service or disqualify the driver.

Amy: Here’s what we don’t know.

Amy: We don’t know what the impact of the English proficiency test will be. Some carriers report that brokers are already insisting on speaking with the drivers assigned to the load to make sure they speak English according to an FMCS, a report of the commercial motor vehicle workforce. In August of 20 23, 3 0.8 of CDL holders had limited English proficiency.

Amy: But there are some people saying that the number is much higher. It’s also unclear what the process is to get drivers back to work. If they did fail the test, is there a course they can take? a period of time they have to wait a test they can pass. There’s still a lot of uncertainty.

Amy: So what should the carriers do? Number one, explain the English language proficiency regulation to drivers and make sure your drivers can pass the test. Do a test with each driver to make sure they can [00:02:00] identify and explain each highway sign. It might sound obvious, but the Manual on uniform traffic control devices for streets and highways.

Amy: Or M-U-T-C-D is over a thousand pages long, so it’s worth scanning through to make sure you and your drivers are prepared. Number two, if you’re hiring new drivers, interview them in English. Include topics like root origins and destinations, amount of time spent on duty, including driving time, information on driver’s licenses, information on shipping papers. Like type of weight, weight of the load, or whether or not it contains hazardous materials, and vehicle equipment.

Amy: What questions do you have about English language proficiency? How do you think this will affect your business?

Amy: Let us know in the comments. Drive Safe!