Beginning June 25, 2025, commercial motor vehicle drivers who do not meet federal English proficiency standards may be placed out of service during roadside inspections. This update stems from a decision by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) to elevate enforcement consequences for violations of an existing federal regulation.
This article explains what the change means, how enforcement will work, and what fleets can do to stay compliant.
The Rule: What English Proficiency Means
Federal regulations have long required commercial drivers to demonstrate English proficiency, not fluency. The requirement includes the ability to:
- Understand road signs and traffic signals
- Respond to official inquiries
- Make entries on forms or records, such as driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs)
While this standard has been on the books for almost 100 years, its enforcement has varied, leading to uncertainty among carriers and inspectors.
The Change: Proficiency as an Out-of-Service Condition
As of June 25, 2025, failure to meet English proficiency requirements will be treated as a roadside out-of-service violation. Drivers affected will not be allowed to continue operating their vehicles if found in violation.
The CVSA board accelerated this enforcement timeline, invoking a special provision in its bylaws. Unlike typical updates, which take effect the following April, this change becomes active within two months of the vote.
Clarity Needed: What Does “Proficiency” Look Like?
One of the key challenges is the lack of an objective, clearly defined enforcement standard. Some states allow drivers to take CDL written tests in multiple languages, because the federal proficiency standard requires a lesser degree of English proficiency than the license test demands. As such, roadside inspectors have been left to make somewhat subjective judgments that may not be uniformly applied from state to state.
The result is confusion for both employers and enforcement officers, who lack a uniform test to measure compliance. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is expected to release further guidance on how proficiency should be evaluated in the field. This guidance will help employers set reasonable and defensible hiring standards.
Why the Emphasis on Proficiency?
According to industry discussions, the updated enforcement priority is being driven by:
Safety Concerns
Inspectors must be confident that drivers understand and can respond to instructions during roadside inspections. Communication gaps can create safety risks in these settings. Also, a driver’s inability to read road signs raises the potential for crash involvement.
Regulatory Consistency
There has been a push for more uniform enforcement across states. This update aims to reduce ambiguity by giving inspectors clearer criteria.
Workforce Standards
By clarifying expectations for communication, this rule ensures a consistent baseline for all commercial drivers—helping fleets maintain accountability and compliance.
Actionable Steps for Fleets
1. Monitor FMCSA Guidance
The FMCSA is expected to provide detailed instructions for enforcement officers. Fleets should stay updated through official websites like cvsa.org and trucking.org.
2. Implement a Standardized Proficiency Check
Fleets should do their best to ensure applicants meet the proficiency standard. The forthcoming guidance should help fleets make these determinations. In the meantime, carriers can develop internal assessments during hiring or onboarding, to verify:
- Comprehension of inspection reports
- Responses to common compliance questions (e.g., electronic logging devices, service hours)
- Ability to follow basic safety instructions
Consistency in evaluating these skills may help mitigate risk and support compliance.
3. Review Current Driver Rosters
Fleets should assess current drivers’ communication abilities against these standards and consider providing additional support or resources if needed. Being proactive may reduce the chance of unexpected service disruptions after the rule takes effect.
Operational Considerations
Unlike equipment violations that can be addressed quickly, language proficiency issues are not immediately correctable. If a driver is placed out of service far from their base, recovery logistics can become challenging and costly.
Carriers operating across multiple jurisdictions should also stay alert for variations in enforcement and ensure all drivers are prepared to meet the federal expectations.
Final Thoughts
This update introduces a shift in how driver qualifications are enforced. With the effective date fast approaching, fleets should act now to develop clear, fair, and consistent policies to evaluate and support English proficiency.
Maintaining compliance not only avoids enforcement delays—it also supports clear communication and operational safety across the board.
To hear an in-depth discussion of the changes and what they mean for fleets and drivers, check out the latest episode of Fleetworthy’s podcast, The Road Ahead.
