CVSA to Enforce English Proficiency in Out-of-Service Criteria
- willrothconsulting
- May 11
- 2 min read
Starting 25 June 2025, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will enforce a new rule placing commercial drivers out of service if they cannot demonstrate sufficient English proficiency. This decision aligns with President Trump's recent executive order emphasizing the enforcement of existing federal regulations requiring commercial drivers to read and speak English adequately.
Key Points:
Regulatory Update: Non-compliance with Title 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2) will now be grounds for placing drivers out of service. This regulation mandates that drivers must be able to read and speak English well enough to converse with the public, understand traffic signs, respond to official inquiries, and complete reports.
Implementation: The CVSA Board of Directors approved this change under an emergency provision to meet the 60-day implementation deadline set by the executive order. This bypassed the usual requirement for a vote by Class I Members.
Enforcement Guidance: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will issue guidance to ensure consistent enforcement of the English language proficiency standard across jurisdictions.
Further Actions: CVSA plans to petition FMCSA to explicitly identify English language proficiency violations as out-of-service conditions and to harmonize English proficiency standards between CDL testing and driver qualification regulations.
Implications:
This policy change underscores the importance of English proficiency for commercial drivers in the U.S. Drivers and carriers should ensure compliance with these language requirements to avoid disruptions.
For more details, visit the official CVSA announcement here: CVSA to Add English Language Proficiency to Its Out-of-Service Criteria - CVSA – Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
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