New English Proficiency Out-of-Service Rule Effective June 25
Truck drivers lacking English skills may be placed out-of-service under a new CVSA rule starting June 25, following President Trump’s executive order.
Vincent ShakirMay 5, 20252 Mins read2.9k
English Proficiency Now a Violation That Can Place Truck Drivers Out-of-Service
New CVSA rule starts June 25 under Trump’s Executive Order
CVSA Adds English Requirement to Out-of-Service Rules
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced a new enforcement rule. Starting June 25, 2025, truck drivers in the U.S. can be placed out of service if they cannot speak and read English well enough to communicate with safety officials.
This change comes after President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order. The order is called Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers. It directed regulators to take quick action. The CVSA board responded by using an emergency rule change to meet the 60-day deadline required by the president.
Federal Rule 391.11(b)(2) Requires English Skills
The rule being enforced is already part of federal law. It’s found in Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 391.11(b)(2). It says drivers must be able to:
- Speak with the general public
- Read and understand road signs in English
- Answer questions from law enforcement or inspectors
- Write entries in official records and reports
This requirement has been on the books for years. But now, if a driver can’t meet it, they can be immediately placed out of service.
New Out-of-Service Language Added to CVSA Criteria
CVSA is adding a new section to its Out-of-Service Criteria. The section is titled “English Proficiency (U.S. Only).” It will be added under Part I – Driver. The rule will read:
“Driver cannot read and speak the English language sufficiently to communicate with the safety official to respond to official inquiries and directions in accordance with FMCSA enforcement guidance. (391.11(b)(2)) Declare driver out of service.”
This means that if a driver cannot speak or understand English during a roadside inspection, they could be removed from service right away.
FMCSA Will Provide Guidance to Inspectors
The U.S. Department of Transportation says the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will provide inspectors with enforcement guidance. The goal is to make sure the rule is used fairly and consistently across the country.
According to the DOT, Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy supports the move. He says it reinforces current safety standards and helps officials apply the rules more effectively.
CVSA to Petition for Further Out-of-Service Updates
CVSA plans to take further steps. It will send two petitions to the FMCSA.
The first petition will ask FMCSA to update the language in 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2). This would officially identify a lack of English skills as an out-of-service condition under federal rules—not just CVSA rules.
The second petition will ask FMCSA to fix language inconsistencies. Right now, the English requirement in the CDL rules under 49 CFR Part 383 does not exactly match what’s written in 49 CFR Part 391. CVSA wants these two parts of the law to be aligned.
Emergency Vote Used to Fast-Track the Change
Normally, changes to CVSA’s Out-of-Service Criteria must be approved by Class I Members. In this case, the board used an emergency provision in the bylaws. This allowed the board to approve the new rule without a full vote from the membership. It was done to meet the tight deadline set by the president’s executive order.
Impact on U.S. Truck Drivers
The new rule means that truck drivers in the U.S. must be able to speak and read English clearly enough to handle official safety checks. If not, they can be taken off the road immediately.
