California Governor Gavin Newsom has agreed to require English language testing for commercial truck and bus drivers after months of resisting federal pressure. The U.S. Department of Transportation had withheld more than $40 million in funding and warned that another $160 million could be suspended unless California complied with federal law. The dispute centered on enforcing a long-standing rule that drivers must be able to read and speak English to understand road signs and communicate with officials.
California had previously allowed commercial driver’s license (CDL) exams in up to 20 languages, which federal officials argued weakened uniform safety standards. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended the enforcement push, saying officials should not have had to threaten funding to secure compliance. He stressed that drivers of large vehicles must understand safety warnings and clearly communicate during inspections or emergencies. Under the updated policy, all CDL exams in California will now be conducted exclusively in English.
The renewed enforcement comes amid increased scrutiny of trucking safety nationwide following several deadly crashes. In one Florida case, a driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn, causing a collision that killed three people. Another crash in Indiana killed four members of an Amish community. In response, federal regulators conducted more than 8,000 roadside inspections, disqualifying nearly 500 drivers for failing English proficiency requirements. California alone recently removed over 600 drivers from service for similar violations.
Federal authorities are also targeting broader safety gaps within the trucking industry. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that 557 driving schools failed to meet safety standards and should close. Regulators are also cracking down on “chameleon carriers,” companies that repeatedly re-register under new names to avoid penalties. Officials plan to tighten registration rules, strengthen identity checks, and increase spot inspections to close these loopholes.
Industry groups support stronger enforcement. The American Trucking Associations noted that weak oversight has allowed unsafe carriers to remain active. After the Indiana crash, authorities shut down the driver’s employer and revoked registrations for related companies and the driving school involved. Officials say these steps aim to ensure that when people share the road with heavy commercial vehicles, drivers are properly trained, qualified, and able to communicate effectively to protect public safety.
