Originally published at: Trump DOT punishes Newsom on truck driver language rule - FreightWaves
California is losing over $40 million in federal funds after its inspectors failed to enforce the Trump administration’s English language rule for truck drivers.
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The DOT is punishing the 40 million people of California. Not just the governor. Your headline is inaccurate click bait.
I beg to differ. The citizens of that state elected their governor to speak and do for them. The funds that were withheld pertained to the DOT safety department. By not enforcing the law that drivers could read roadsigns is a hazard to the US citizens not only in California.
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Everyone wants to scream that its “Trumps fault” for this regulation. I beg to differ because when i earned my commercial license in 1999, it was a requirement to be able to read, write and understand english. And it should be. Back then you wasn’t able to use a translator to take the test. To safely operate ANY vehicle, car, truck, motorcycle, boat or scooter you need to be able to read and understand road signs and information pertaining to traffic.
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Seems like a dry run for cancelling federal transportation dollars over air quality exceedances driven by federally cancelled state programs…
Nastier air & worse roads when your load sends you that way…
So you’re ok with CDL truck drivers being illiterate and unable to read road signs?
Road signs are not Chaucer’s or Shakespearen english. I doubt a Spanish speaking individual would be unable to understand highway signage. I’ve driven cars and motorcycles all over the planet and by some mystical spiritually infused intervention managed to get where I needed to be without causing, death, accident or other mayhem. So when you boil this all down what’s the point other than more Trump xenophobia distilled from Hitlers playbook?
Why is there no mention of insurance premiums? Tell the whole truth and not just what you want people to know!! There are insurance companies raising premiums throughout the country, so all drivers have to suffer. Guess the two states with the most claims!!! CALIFORNIA and New Jersey! Do you really not see there is a problem? Has anyone ever watched miles of “One Lane Road Ahead” signs while trucks keep riding the closing lane causing traffic jams? If they could read the signs, don’t you think there could possibly be less traffic jams? Stop trying to make your benefit be the narrative. Tell the whole story. I understand maybe things are better here, BUT why come here and then still try to drive and live the same way as you did where you came from?
@Meat58 You may say you were able to drive all over the planet, but that would assume your definition of planet is beyond the walls of the United States and that’s simply not the case. If you’re driving cars in Thailand, you’d actually be driving a 25cc scooter with a ladyboy on the back seat. What you’re failing to realize is CDL drivers are operating 60ft+ long truck and trailer combos, typically weighing over 60,000lbs. We’re not asking you to push a peddle bike in India with a tin of butter chicken balanced on your head. The level of competency required to operate a CDL-level vehicle is high, and trying to equate it to driving mopeds in Hong Kong as a stunt double for Jackie Chan is out of bounds. Do you have any thoughts on the Louvre heist? Have a good one, Meatie.
So being able to read and decipher signage is contingent on the vehicle you’re driving? You don’t like people of color. Admit it. You’re bs argument is a facade for racism. I think they call that an arabesque. I drove professionally 26 foot box trucks, taxis, buses and most things on 4 and two wheels, but never a dinky little ■■■■■■ scooter. So please do not dispatage me without knowing the details. You’re a ■■■■■■, just be a man and cop to your failings and please stop drowning us in BS!
@Meat58 You’re a joker! How can you professionally drive a 26ft box truck when that’s exactly the truck that DOESN’T require a CDL. Anybody off the street can legally drive one of those with a standard driving license. By your logic, everybody driving a standard passenger car is a professional driver. Save us all the secondhand embarrassment and admit you don’t even have a driver’s license. You login to Roblox and fire up the latest F1 Simulator at 8am every morning after your mommy changes your diaper and feeds you bottle. At least go out and find a truck driving simulator, then you can at least say you’ve driven a big rig virtually.
Certainly should crackdown on Canada’s truck drivers Who knows if they have any training Canada has the most laughable immigration system in the world
I’ll take migrants from anywhere except canada 
Everyone acts as if this is some new TRUMP requirement when in fact it was part of the laws enacted in 1936 under Franklin Roosevelt (D) and was part of the ICC. When I got my CDL in 1985 it was required and enforced at DMV. It hasn’t been enforced under the past few administrations.
Stating this is about being a ■■■■■■ is a lie. It has nothing to do with the color of your skin, remember Russians are also white and required to speak English and communicate with customers and law enforcement.
Prof Alex Scott/University of Tennessee Knoxville points out that in 2025 federal inspections claim every fourth driver can’t sufficiently speak English. Wyoming state inspectors have the largest ELP citation rate at just 7%. Texas comes next at 3.5%. ‘Blue state’ madness?? Really?
What’s going on with the federal inspection program?