Staff Reports
A new analysis from the advocacy group American Truckers United (ATU) has stirred the hornet’s nest. ATU says nearly eight-in-ten of the migrant truckers flagged for failing to demonstrate basic English-language skills got their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) from just ten states. The claim lands right on top of renewed federal enforcement, and it should make state officials and safety regulators squirm — or start doing their jobs.
ATU’s tally: Ten states, most of the problem
ATU lists Texas, California, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and Colorado as the source of roughly 77 percent of cited non‑English‑proficient migrant CDL holders. The group singles out Texas (the largest share), California and Florida in particular. Now, this is advocacy data — compiled from media reports and other sources — so it needs verification. But even as an initial claim, it points to a pattern worth investigating: why are so many problematic CDLs tied to a handful of states? That is a question state DMVs should be answering right now.
Federal action finally moved the needle
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has reintegrated English‑language proficiency (ELP) as an out‑of‑service criterion, and Department of Transportation leadership is backing stronger enforcement. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy has publicly celebrated large enforcement tallies — widely reported as thousands of drivers placed out of service for failing ELP rules — and the Department of Homeland Security has been blunt on social media that people in the country illegally should not have CDLs. Good. Enforcement should be loud and clear when safety is at stake.
Counting out‑of‑service orders — it’s messy
One important note: how inspectors apply the ELP rule varies by place. Border commercial zones and local practices have created gaps where some drivers were cited but not taken off the road. That means national numbers can be uneven and, in some cases, misleading if you don’t see the fine print. Still, the headline is simple: if drivers cannot follow commands in English, that raises real safety risks for every motorist.
States must own their role
State motor vehicle agencies are at the center of this storm. Texas says it began pulling CDLs from people unlawfully present; Florida requires DHS verification before issuing CDLs to non‑citizens; California and other large states need to show they aren’t creating soft spots that undermine national safety rules. If a small number of states are the source of most suspect CDLs, then those states should be audited, forced to publish their records, and — if necessary — sued out of lax practices. Businesses that employ drivers also must be held accountable when they let unqualified drivers climb behind the wheel.
Common‑sense fixes and a blunt final word
We can do two things at once: protect truckers’ legal work opportunities and protect the public. First, ATU should publish its raw data and method so the claims can be verified. Second, FMCSA and state DMVs should publish clear, state‑by‑state enforcement and issuance numbers. Third, companies that hire drivers must face penalties when they ignore language and safety rules. For those who shrug and say this is too hard, remember the stakes: lives, roads, and supply chains. If you can’t speak the language of safety, you shouldn’t be trusted to steer a 40‑ton vehicle down the interstate — and officials who enabled that deserve the heat they’re getting.
