It’s always been the deal that if you’re a truck driver in the U.S., you need to have a basic understanding of English.
But, this rule hasn’t really been enforced.
Until now.
If you’re a truck driver operating in the state of Arkansas and you are unable to demonstrate that you have a basic understanding of the English language (the primary language of the U.S.), you could be fined.
Get this.
$500 for the first time, and $1,000 if it happens again.
Note: This bill is on it’s way to be law. Just needs to be signed, and then it will be enforced!
What’s the New Law?
CDL drivers in Arkansas must now show they can speak, read, and understand English.
Complete paper logs, if necessary and also inspection reports
If you get pulled over by the authorities and can’t do these things, you could get slapped with a fine.
But Isn’t This Already a Federal Rule?
Yes, this is actually a requirement across the entire U.S.A. But, Arkansas has now decided to sink its teeth in and start hitting drivers with fines, to show they are serious about this.
Here’s what the current law states:
According to 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2), a driver must be able 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.”
What Does That Mean for Truckers?
For most truck drivers, there’s no need to sweat the issue.
However, you do need basic functional English so you can:
Read road signs
Talk with law enforcement, dispatchers, or customers
Understand company policies and safety rules
Fill out logs, trip sheets, and inspection paperwork as necessary
If you can’t do these things, you could be in trouble.
Not just with your trucking company, but with the law too.
Why Did Arkansas Start Enforcing This All of a Sudden?
The state says it’s all about safety.
If a driver can’t understand road signs or respond to questions when asked by law enforcement, that could cause serious problems out on the road.
So the state of Arkansas is using fines in order to convey the message to drivers and trucking companies to show they are taking this rule seriously.
When Language Barriers Turn Deadly
I’m sure many of you will recall back in 2019, Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, a truck driver in Colorado, lost control of his truck when descending a mountain road.
After ignoring several warning signs and a clearly marked runaway truck ramp, he passed the exit and crashed into traffic, taking the lives of 4 people.
The investigation showed that Mederos could not read the road signs and did not understand what the ramp was to be used for.
In Canada in 2018, Jaskirat Sidhu, a trucker with almost no truck driver training nor English skills, blew through a stop sign and smashed into a bus, with the Humboldt Broncos, a young hockey team,killing 16 people.
These 2 incidents are just a few examples of how this issue has created serious problems on our highways.
Professional truck drivers who can’t read road signs or speak English are being given a CDL and are perfectly legal to drive a commercial vehicle of 80,000 lb driving at 60 mph +!
Despite regulations requiring English proficiency, some trucking companies need drivers so badly, they don’t abide by the rules and ultimately throw caution to the wind!
Who Will Be Affected?
Mostly, the enforcement of this law will especially affect drivers where their primary language isn’t English……. immigrants who have come to America to become a truck driver.
Some have struggled with the English language, but haven’t bothered to improve their English. Only now there’s a real financial incentive to polish up on their skills!
It’s one more challenge for truck drivers who are already dealing with tight schedules, long hours, and high pressure.
My Thoughts
We feel it’s about time this rule be enforced.
When English is the primary language in the U.S., road signs, training manuals and authorities speak English, it makes complete sense.
However, some trucking companies and also drivers are outraged by this as it may become enforced in many other U.S. states in the near future.
They believe it is unfair to enforce as it basically targets immigrant drivers.
But we say ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’, if you get my drift.
The law is the law and it makes perfect sense to me.
The Bottom Line
If you’re driving in Arkansas or anywhere in the U.S. for that matter, you don’t need to be able to speak like the language like the Queen of England,
But you will need to be able to
✅ Read and understand all posted road signs ✅ Speak to the Department of Transportation Officers, Company dispatchers and customers in clear, understood English ✅ Complete your paperwork correctly when it’s a necessary part of the job. ✅ Understand all safety rules and company policies
Arkansas is taking this rule seriously.
And don’t be surprised if more states follow.
So if your English skills need improvement, now is the time to fix that.
