New FMCSA Rule: Truck Drivers Must Show English Skills — Here’s What Companies Need to Know
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has made a big change that affects how trucking companies hire drivers. Starting in May 2025, the FMCSA began strictly enforcing a rule that says truck drivers must speak and understand basic English. This rule has been around for a while, but now it’s being taken very seriously — and it comes with real penalties.
If you’re a motor carrier, here’s what you need to know to stay compliant and keep your drivers on the road.
🗓️ Important Dates to Know
- ✅ May 20, 2025 – Federal enforcement of the English Language Proficiency (ELP) rule began.
- ✅ June 25, 2025 – State and local enforcement officers also started checking drivers.
This means drivers may be stopped by more inspectors in more places — not just by federal officers.
Why This Rule Matters for Trucking Companies
The FMCSA isn’t just reminding people about this rule — they’re actively enforcing it, and companies are already seeing the consequences.
Here’s what can happen if your company doesn’t follow the rule:
- 4 CSA points for every English rule violation (this affects your company’s safety score).
- Drivers may be taken out of service immediately if they can’t speak or understand English at the roadside.
- If the driver still can’t meet the rule at their next stop, they could be disqualified for 90 days, even on the first offense.
These penalties are serious — and they can impact your driver availability, hiring process, and company reputation.
✅ What You Need to Do When Hiring Drivers
When bringing on a new driver, you must check that they can:
- 👮♂️ Talk with roadside inspectors in English
- 🚧 Understand road signs and safety messages
- 🛠️ Talk about basic driving topics like trips, logs, licenses, cargo, and vehicle equipment
To do this, the FMCSA says you should do a pre-hire interview that covers five key areas:
- Trip details (start and end locations)
- Hours of service and logbooks
- Driver’s license info
- Shipping papers (especially for hazardous materials)
- Truck parts that get inspected (lights, tires, etc.)
If the driver can’t speak clearly about these things in English, they may not meet the rule.
A Helpful Tip for Hiring Managers
There’s a twist: Drivers are allowed to explain road signs in any language, as long as the manager understands what they’re saying. This is helpful for bilingual teams. After the English part of the interview is done, the rest of the hiring conversation can be in any language you both understand.
So, companies don’t need to avoid non-native English speakers. They just need to make sure those drivers can communicate clearly in English when it counts, especially during inspections.
What to Watch For
One interesting part of the FMCSA’s guidance is that the same topics inspectors are told not to ask about are the same five areas companies must now use in pre-hire interviews. This means hiring managers are doing the job of screening before the driver ever hits the road — which makes hiring even more important.
📌 The Bottom Line
This is not just a paperwork update. The English rule is now a real, enforced requirement that directly impacts trucking companies.
- If you don’t follow it, your drivers could be pulled off the road.
- Your safety score could go up.
- You might lose time and money trying to fix problems after the fact.
But if you prepare now, train your team, and adjust your hiring process, you can stay compliant and keep your drivers moving.
What’s Next?
With state and local enforcement now in full swing, expect more roadside checks, more inspections, and more pressure on compliance.
Want to stay ahead of changes like this? Follow our blog for regular updates and helpful tips for trucking companies.
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