All drivers set to face English language skills test to get lorry or bus licence under new Trump plans

Felix Reeves

By Felix Reeves


Published: 21/02/2026

- 09:08

'Under President Trump, my team is cracking down on every link in the trucking chain that has allowed this lawlessness to impact the safety of America's roads'

Truck and bus drivers in the United States will soon be required to take their commercial licence tests in England under new rules from the Trump administration.

Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary, announced that drivers would need to meet the federal requirements to understand the language.


The minimum requirement is to understand English well enough to read road signs and communicate with police and law enforcement officers.

Several states allow drivers to take the commercial licence tests in other languages, provided they demonstrate English proficiency.

Mr Duffy claimed that many companies brought in to run the commercial tests are failing to enforce the standards needed.

States will be expected to ensure drivers can speak English before they are awarded their commercial driving licence.

The Trump administration announced that law enforcement officers will check language skills during traffic stops or inspections.

A recent crackdown saw 8,215 language inspections take place across the United States, with 500 drivers being pulled off the road because of their English skills.

Lorries parked in the United States

Drivers will need to prove their English skills before they get their commercial driving licence

|

GETTY

The Transportation Secretary has also launched action against commercial driving licence (CDL) schools which were found to violate the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)'s standards of safety.

He announced that more than 550 "sham" training schools were in violation, issuing them with notices of proposed removal from FMCSA's national training registry.

More than 300 investigators across 50 states were involved in over 1,400 sting operations, according to the US Department of Transportation.

It uncovered that training centres lacked qualified instructors, used fake addresses, and failed to properly train drivers on the transportation of hazardous materials.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he was cracking down on 'wild west' training centres

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he was cracking down on 'wild west' training centres

|

REUTERS

Mr Duffy said: "For too long, the trucking industry has operated like the Wild, Wild West, where anything goes and nobody asks any questions. The buck stops with me.

"Under President Trump, my team is cracking down on every link in the trucking chain that has allowed this lawlessness to impact the safety of America's roads.

"American families should have confidence that our school bus and truck drivers are following every letter of the law and that starts with receiving proper training before getting behind the wheel."

The five-day operation saw 1,426 on-site investigations, resulting in 448 notices of proposed removals, while 109 providers voluntarily removed themselves from the Training Provider Registry.

Almost 100 training providers remain under investigation by the Department of Transportation for compliance issues.

Derek D Barrs, FMCSA Administrator, said: "We mobilised hundreds of investigators to visit these schools in person to ensure strict compliance with federal safety standards.

"If a school isn't using the right vehicles or if their instructors aren't qualified, they have no business training the next generation of truckers or school bus drivers."