GOOD: Trump Rule Sidelines 6,000 Truckers Over English Tests.

Under a May 2025 policy issued by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, roadside inspections must now begin in English, and drivers suspected of lacking language proficiency may face a two-step evaluation. Failure results not just in a citation but immediate out-of-service designation.

The policy has sparked backlash from industry groups, civil rights organizations and trucking companies, which argue that there is scant evidence that English proficiency reduces crash risk. Critics also say the rule disproportionately burdens immigrant and Latino drivers.

In an escalation of the policy dispute, the U.S. Transportation Department announced it will withhold more than $40 million in federal highway and safety grants from California, accusing the state of failing to enforce the new English standard. Additional funds, up to $160 million, are being threatened for continued noncompliance.

There’s good money in trucking, and plenty of English-speaking citizens still stuck on the sidelines.