Summary
- Sen. Cynthia Lummis to introduce
stricter English rules for truckers. - Drivers must prove their ability to
understand signs, communicate in English. - Bill deems non-compliant drivers
“out of service” for safety.
The measure would
establish a number of new requirements, such as making sure truck drivers are
able to communicate with the general public, comprehend English-language
highway traffic signs and signals, reply to official questions, and enter
information on reports and records.
Additionally, the
bill follows the executive order issued earlier this year by President Donald
Trump, which also imposed more stringent English language standards.
In order to increase
enforcement of a 2016 amendment enacted under then-President Barack Obama, both
Trump’s order and Lummis’ bill would mandate that anyone operating a commercial
motor vehicle who does not adhere to those criteria be declared out of service.
“This
legislation will correct the major mistake the Obama administration made in
undermining these rules and will codify President Trump’s Executive Order to
make our highways safer for all Americans,”
Lummis said.
While English
proficiency requirements have existed for truck drivers for decades, a 2016
memo from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instructed inspectors
to give warnings and citations to commercial vehicle drivers who did not meet
the English proficiency requirements, rather than place them out of service.
Lummis’ bill, which
she and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., plan
to introduce, also has a companion version in the House, introduced by Rep.
Harriet Haggeman, R-Wyo.
Both are called
Connor’s Law in honor of 18-year-old Connor Dzion, who was killed in Florida in
2017 when a Canadian truck driver named Yadwinder Sangha crashed into the
backed-up traffic.
Similar circumstances
occurred earlier this year on August 12, when Harjinder Singh, an illegal
Indian immigrant, is accused of hitting and killing three persons in a
tractor-trailer while making an illegal U-turn on a Florida highway. All three
of the passengers were killed when the trailer jackknifed and struck a minivan.
Legislation filed by
Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., would strengthen English language criteria for
obtaining a business license and crack down on commercial driver’s licenses
(CDLs) granted to illegal aliens.
How would enforcement
and “out of service” designation work?
During safety
inspections, enforcement officers will test commercial drivers’ English
proficiency through verbal communication. This includes asking routine
questions about trip details, paperwork, and driving factors.
Drivers must
demonstrate the ability to read and understand standard traffic signs according
to nationally accepted guidelines. Failure to do so can result in immediate
enforcement action.
If a driver cannot
adequately communicate or fails the language test, inspectors may place the
driver “out of service,” meaning they are prohibited from operating
the commercial vehicle until compliance is demonstrated.
