California Gov. Gavin Newsom will now require commercial truck drivers to be tested for English language proficiency after months of resistance to federal enforcement efforts. The move follows the U.S. Department of Transportation withholding more than $40 million in federal funding since October and threatening to withhold an additional $160 million in February,
“I shouldn’t have had to threaten to withhold millions in funding for California to come to their senses and enforce the law,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “For those who said we’re playing politics, our efforts have gotten real results for the American people.”
Under the new enforcement, all truck and bus drivers will be required to take their commercial driver’s license exams in English.
Duffy announced the effort Friday, saying drivers must be able to read road signs and communicate with law enforcement. Florida has already begun administering commercial driver’s license tests exclusively in English.
Federal law requires drivers to demonstrate English proficiency, but many states have allowed testing in other languages. California previously offered commercial license exams in 20 languages.
Duffy said some states contracted third-party companies to administer CDL tests, and those companies were not consistently enforcing federal standards for English proficiency.
The announcement comes days after the Transportation Department said 557 driving schools should close for failing to meet basic safety standards.
Federal officials have intensified enforcement following a fatal crash in August involving a foreign truck driver Duffy said was not authorized to be in the United States. Reports said the driver made an illegal U-turn in Florida, causing a crash that killed three people.
