Trump enforces truck drivers to be proficient in English

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week requiring commercial truck drivers in the U.S. to be proficient in English.

The order says truckers should be able to read and understand traffic signs, among other things.

Some drivers in the Rio Grande Valley are worried about the change and local driving schools are preparing.

Ruben Sanchez is the co-owner of Wise CDL LLC in Edinburg.

Wise CDL LLC trains people to become commercial truck drivers.

“I know there are a lot of people worried about this taking effect, but I mean it's just one more regulation," Sanchez said. "There have been regulations imposed on us every year.”

Sanchez says he is researching ways to prepare his students.

He wants his students to know more than the minimum English standards to pass the test, as he also wants them to be able to hold a conversation in English.

Sanchez believes Trump signed the executive order because of the number of major trucking accidents in the past decade.

“You have these accidents involving drivers that don’t know a single word of English, and it ends up being a mass casualty of 10 families dying and millions of dollars in damages," Sanchez adds.

The Texas Trucking Association (TXTA) released a statement on the new order.

Truck drivers must simply be able to read road signs, understand emergency instructions, and communicate clearly with our law enforcement and governing officials — basic skills that can save lives. By reinstating these requirements, the administration is prioritizing both safety and the professionalism of an essential workforce.

TXTA also says the new order will help prevent purchases of fraudulent Mexican trucking licenses, or LFCs, which are the equivalent of CDLs in Mexico.

Israel Valadez with United CDL Training Driving School says purchasing the fraudulent licenses is a problem, as anybody from Central America, Europe and other countries can buy those licenses.

"In Mexico, all you have to do is become a citizen of Mexico and you'll get your international license, and you'll be able to operate in the United States, whether you go through training or you don't," Valadez said.

However, Valadez believes the executive order will cause a decline in available truck drivers and he says that will then cause problems in the supply chain.

Valadez says future students will have to pass an English proficiency test with at least an 80 before they can register for his CDL classes.

Others like Sanchez plan to incorporate English tutoring into their courses.

“Initially, it will discourage people, but I think once they see that these schools or we have a way of getting around that problem, then I am sure that they will get their confidence back and numbers should level up," Sanchez said.