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1h ago

DOT Gives California, Washington and New Mexico 30 Days to Enforce Trucker English Rules or Lose Funds

The move follows an FMCSA probe tied to a fatal Florida crash that found significant state enforcement failures.

A drone view shows semi-trucks in San Diego, California, U.S., July 15, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
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A tanker truck transports crude oil on a highway near Duchesne, Utah, on July 13, 2023.
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Overview

  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said up to about $50 million in Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program funding is at risk, including roughly $33 million for California, $10.5 million for Washington and $7 million for New Mexico.
  • Federal investigators said the three states failed to properly place drivers out of service for English proficiency violations, citing data since June that showed California did so once, Washington four times and New Mexico none.
  • The enforcement push stems from the Aug. 12 Florida Turnpike crash in which driver Harjinder Singh was charged with vehicular homicide after testing showed he answered 2 of 12 English questions correctly and identified 1 of 4 road signs.
  • DOT pointed to Singh’s licensing history in California and Washington and a July traffic stop in New Mexico as evidence of enforcement gaps uncovered after President Trump’s April order and Duffy’s May guidance restored out‑of‑service penalties for language violations.
  • Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a pause on issuing worker visas for commercial truck drivers as part of the administration’s safety and compliance response.