The growing concern over drivers on American roads who cannot read or speak English has spurred federal action, new legislation, and sharp warnings from Republican leaders who say safety must come first; this piece outlines recent statements, proposed bills, and the broader push to enforce English proficiency for commercial and rideshare drivers.
The Department of Transportation raised alarms after reports showed a troubling number of commercial drivers on U.S. highways lacking basic English skills needed to read signs and communicate in emergencies. That gap prompted Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to warn that drivers who cannot meet basic language standards will be removed from service, a move framed as essential to public safety. The issue is not abstract — transportation officials and lawmakers say lives are at stake when drivers cannot follow or understand directions and commands.
Secretary Duffy’s public comments were blunt and direct, insisting language ability is tied to road safety for everyone.
Drivers of commercial vehicles who can’t speak our national language will be taken out of service. This is just common sense.
Drivers who can’t read our signs or communicate with law enforcement have no business being on our roads.
America First = Safety First!
That enforcement push followed an executive order signed earlier in the year directing agencies to apply long-standing federal rules that require commercial drivers to “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.” Advocates argue this rule had been neglected for years, and the executive action was intended to close that enforcement gap.
The debate intensified after a fatal crash in Florida in August in which a tractor-trailer driver reportedly made an illegal maneuver that killed three people. Authorities said the driver did not speak or read English, and Republicans used the incident to push for stricter standards nationwide. Lawmakers on the right argue that preventing similar tragedies requires consistent language testing and enforcement across commercial trucking and ancillary industries.
Lawmakers are also turning their attention to rideshare services, not just long-haul trucking. Senator Tommy Tuberville has introduced the Understanding Basic English Requirements Act, aimed at ensuring drivers for companies that contract with the government meet English proficiency standards similar to those for federal Commercial Driver’s License holders. The proposal would bar noncompliant platforms from receiving federal contracts for five years, a penalty designed to force compliance with basic safety expectations.
According to the senator’s office, the UBER Act would require drivers on government-contracted rideshare platforms to be able to read and speak English, aligning those services with federal CDL requirements and national safety norms. Tuberville framed the bill as a straightforward safety measure: if someone is transporting the public and using taxpayer-funded contracts, they should meet clear, consistent standards. The focus is on protecting passengers and ensuring clear communication in emergencies.
“America is an English-speaking country. If you want to live and work in the United States, you need to be able to speak and read our language. Too many Americans have been killed as a result of relaxed standards and illegal immigrants who do not speak or read English and are driving on our roads. Rideshare companies, especially those that receive taxpayer funding, have an obligation to vet the drivers who are transporting American citizens on our roads. I’m proud to introduce this legislation as another guardrail to keep Americans safe on the road.”
Senator Tuberville has also pushed related measures like requiring CDL testing in English to make language proficiency a consistent criterion for road safety. Republicans argue that uniform standards are common-sense protections, not partisan attacks, and that enforcing language rules will reduce preventable accidents and save lives. Supporters say these measures restore accountability that had been eroded by lax enforcement.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
The conversation over language proficiency for drivers touches on enforcement, public safety, and how taxpayer money is used to support services that carry passengers and freight. Republican leaders emphasize straightforward rules: if you’re driving Americans in taxpayer-backed systems, you should meet basic language standards to ensure clear communication and safe outcomes. The debate continues as legislators press agencies and companies to adopt consistent, enforceable policies.
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