Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed on November 4 that 7,248 commercial truck drivers have been declared “out of service” in 2025 for failing newly enforced roadside English-language proficiency checks under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules. The figure marks a nearly five-fold increase since July, reflecting the Trump administration’s April executive order making English the official language for federal purposes.
Drivers placed out of service are immediately banned from operating commercial vehicles until they can demonstrate sufficient English to read highway signs, converse with inspectors and maintain logbooks. Advocacy groups say immigrant communities—particularly Indian-American Sikh and Latino drivers—are bearing the brunt; Punjabi drivers are estimated to make up 20 percent of the U.S. owner-operator pool.
![DOT English-proficiency crackdown sidelines 7,200 immigrant truck drivers]()
The trucking sector warns the sweep will exacerbate an industry-wide driver shortage that has hovered near 80,000 vacancies for three years. Supply-chain analysts predict higher spot-market freight rates and longer delivery times for household-goods moves and corporate relocations, especially on long-haul lanes where immigrant drivers are heavily represented.
Employers that rely on commercial-driver assignees must now verify English-language skills during hiring and provide training resources. Legal experts caution that terminating workers solely for limited English proficiency may invite discrimination claims unless language ability is proven a business necessity.
FMCSA plans to expand on-the-spot language checks to weigh stations in all 48 continental states by January 2026. Mobility programs with domestic U.S. transfers should anticipate cost increases for moving services and consider contractual clauses to lock in rates before the market tightens further.
Drivers placed out of service are immediately banned from operating commercial vehicles until they can demonstrate sufficient English to read highway signs, converse with inspectors and maintain logbooks. Advocacy groups say immigrant communities—particularly Indian-American Sikh and Latino drivers—are bearing the brunt; Punjabi drivers are estimated to make up 20 percent of the U.S. owner-operator pool.
The trucking sector warns the sweep will exacerbate an industry-wide driver shortage that has hovered near 80,000 vacancies for three years. Supply-chain analysts predict higher spot-market freight rates and longer delivery times for household-goods moves and corporate relocations, especially on long-haul lanes where immigrant drivers are heavily represented.
Employers that rely on commercial-driver assignees must now verify English-language skills during hiring and provide training resources. Legal experts caution that terminating workers solely for limited English proficiency may invite discrimination claims unless language ability is proven a business necessity.
FMCSA plans to expand on-the-spot language checks to weigh stations in all 48 continental states by January 2026. Mobility programs with domestic U.S. transfers should anticipate cost increases for moving services and consider contractual clauses to lock in rates before the market tightens further.
