On Friday, February 20th, in order to improve the safety standards of the transportation industry and keep unqualified or illegal drivers off the roads to protect the safety of the American people, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a new regulation. The regulation mandates that all commercial truck drivers must take their exams in English and cracks down on deceptive commercial driver’s license training schools and companies.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized the importance of ensuring drivers have sufficient English proficiency to read road signs and communicate with law enforcement, as it is a basic requirement of federal regulations.
Currently, Florida has already implemented English-only driving exams, while some states allow drivers to take exams in other languages, such as California, which previously offered tests in up to 20 different languages.
Duffy pointed out that some states outsource commercial driver’s license testing to private companies, which have not been strict in their oversight, leading to drivers not meeting the necessary standards. He mentioned that third-party testing agencies have also been involved in this fraudulent scheme by not thoroughly testing those who have attended fake schools.
Before the announcement of this new regulation, the Department of Transportation ordered 557 driver training schools that did not meet basic safety standards to shut down on February 18th. This action came after a fatal accident in August 2025, leading the department to scrutinize states that were issuing commercial driver’s licenses to “unqualified immigrants.”
Referring to a crash in Florida that resulted in three deaths, where the truck driver was both an illegal resident in the U.S. and made an illegal U-turn, Duffy pointed out that several more fatal accidents, including a recent tragedy in Indiana claiming the lives of four Amish individuals, have raised concerns.
The Department of Transportation now requires states to ensure drivers have English communication skills before issuing commercial driver’s licenses, and law enforcement officers should verify drivers’ language abilities during inspections; those unable to communicate effectively will be prohibited from driving.
In a recent federal enforcement action covering 8,215 checks, nearly 500 drivers had their qualifications suspended due to inadequate English skills. Initially resisting the English requirement, California has now removed over 600 unqualified drivers from the roads.
Duffy stressed that American people expect drivers of large trucks to be qualified and safe, criticizing the trucking industry for decades of neglecting these issues.
This crackdown will expand to prevent fraudulent freight companies from entering the market, continue to combat problematic or suspicious driver training schools, and require states to strictly adhere to regulations on commercial driver’s license issuance.
The government will bolster the registration systems and qualification reviews of freight companies, with FMCSA inspectors increasing inspections of trucks and training schools. Official efforts are also underway to ensure the accuracy of drivers’ electronic logging device data.
Currently, freight operators only need to pay $300 and provide proof of insurance to register for operation, often facing inspections more than a year later, mostly conducted online, making it difficult to identify shell companies, allowing unscrupulous operators to exploit the system.
Dan Horvath, operating chief of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), mentioned that loopholes have previously allowed companies forced to shut down to easily reestablish operations under a new identity, with only a few companies undergoing comprehensive field inspections.
Following the Indiana crash, the FMCSA has ordered the company of the at-fault driver to cease operations and revoked the operating authority of two companies associated with AJ Partners – Tutash Express and Sam Express in the Chicago area. Additionally, the Aydana driving school attended by the involved truck driver has had its license revoked.
Immigration authorities have arrested the 30-year-old driver from Kyrgyzstan, stating he entered the country illegally. It was reported that he attempted to overtake a slowing truck and collided with an oncoming van.
In December of last year, FMCSA took action to revoke certifications from 7,500 out of 16,000 driver training schools nationwide, including many that were already out of business.
Duffy revealed an exaggerated pattern: several related companies involved in the Indiana crash had their registered addresses in the “same apartment.” In other instances, there have been cases where hundreds of “chameleon” companies were registered at the same address.