Abbott, Texas DPS cracking down on commercial driver compliance

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(The Center Square) – Texas Department of Public Safety troopers are cracking down on commercial driver English proficiency.

Unlike California and other Democratic-led states issuing commercial driver’s licenses to illegal foreign nationals who cannot read or write English and are causing fatal crashes, Texas has been strictly enforcing the English language proficiency requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations.

Since June 25, Texas DPS and partner agencies have taken enforcement actions against approximately 445 commercial vehicle drivers in Texas for English proficiency violations, according to the latest available data from the governor’s office. Only 28 of them held Texas driver’s licenses. The majority, 336, had driver’s licenses from Mexico. The remainder had driver’s licenses from other states and countries.

Troopers working through DPS’ Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division have been working with inspectors to conduct English language proficiency reviews for all commercial license operators on Texas roadways. Evaluations ensure drivers possess the necessary communication skills for roadway safety and compliance with federal regulations, according to state policy.

State employees have been aggressively targeting commercial drivers after Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this year directed Texas DPS troopers to enact “zero-tolerance enforcement of federal safety regulations across the board – whether drivers are operating across state lines or only within Texas.”

"Truckers play an instrumental role in Texas' robust economy and in keeping our highways safe," Abbott said. "Every commercial driver license operator on Texas roadways must be able to communicate clearly in English to ensure compliance with traffic laws, follow safety directions, and prevent accidents.”

Abbott issued the directive after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in April to enforce English proficiency for commercial drivers.

The order states, “English is a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers, as they should be able to read and understand traffic signs; communicate with traffic safety officers, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station personnel; and provide and receive feedback and directions in English.”

General FMCSA CDL qualifications require drivers to “Read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.”

While federal law mandates commercial vehicle drivers to be proficient in reading and speaking English, the requirement “has not been enforced pursuant to Obama Administration guidance, compromising roadway safety as trucking fatalities have increased since this guidance was issued,” the order states. The Trump administration ended the Obama-era policy.

It also points to motor vehicle crashes being the leading cause of death nationwide, killing more than 120 people a day.

Democratic-led states that haven’t taken the same approach as Texas face losing federal funds, the Trump administration has warned. Last month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy gave the governments of California, New Mexico and Washington 30 days to comply before federal funds were withheld and other actions were taken, The Center Square reported.

Abbott has also directed DPS to stop issuing intrastate commercial driver licenses for drivers who cannot speak English sufficiently to communicate with department personnel. Doing so, he said, “will keep Texans safe while keeping our economy moving.”