Over 7,000 truckers barred in US for failing English test, many Indian-origin drivers impacted

More than 7,000 truck drivers have been placed out of service in the US this year after they failed the mandatory English proficiency tests, said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. This is of importance to India as this decision was made after a string of road accidents involving Indian truckers. It is also pertinent because lakhs of Sikhs work in the trucking industry, including as drivers, many of whom are now impacted by this move.

Duffy said that 7,248 truck drivers were removed from service as of October, referencing real-time violation data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

This is a substantial increase from the 1,500 drivers reported in July. According to the North American Punjabi Truckers Association, as many as 130,000 to 150,000 truckers in the US are from Punjab and Haryana.

Trump has sidelined an Obama-era memo that barred inspectors from sidelining drivers solely over language. Now thousands have been hit by the new regulations, as per a report in The New Indian Express.

"Commercial truck drivers must speak and understand English to operate -- or they will be taken out of service," the Transportation Secretary said.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's national inspection database, there have been at least 5,006 English language-related out-of-service violations recorded through October. This number has been rising in recent months as more states increase enforcement efforts, FreightWaves reported.

The new rule requires all holders of a Commercial Driver’s Licence to have sufficient English skills. These skills are necessary to communicate with the public, interpret signs, interact with authorities, and maintain accurate records.

President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order, along with subsequent directives from the Transportation Department, mandates that drivers who fail English language tests must be immediately removed from service starting June 25, 2025.