Overview

• DPS troopers and inspectors will conduct English proficiency reviews during roadside inspections and licensing evaluations for commercial drivers statewide.
• The department will stop issuing intrastate commercial licenses to applicants who cannot communicate in English with DPS personnel.
• Since June 25, officials report roughly 445 enforcement actions in Texas, including about 28 drivers with Texas licenses and roughly 336–340 licensed in Mexico, with the rest from other jurisdictions.
• The move follows a federal directive stemming from the president’s executive order and FMCSA/CVSA guidance, as DOT warns noncompliant states risk losing funding and has given California, Washington, and New Mexico 30 days to comply.
• The Texas Trucking Association supports the policy on safety grounds, while critics warn it could worsen labor shortages and note it is not yet clear how proficiency will be tested.