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11h ago

DOT Withholds $40.7 Million From California Over Trucker English Enforcement

Funding will be restored only if California mandates roadside English checks that place failing drivers out of service.

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he announces a deal with Pfizer to sell drugs at lower prices, in the Oval office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
FILE - Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference Aug. 5, 2025, at the Department of Transportation in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
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Overview

  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said $40,685,225 in Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program funds will be withheld because California is not enforcing federal English proficiency rules for commercial drivers.
  • DOT says reinstatement requires the state to adopt a compatible rule, conduct English assessments during roadside inspections, and remove noncompliant drivers from service.
  • The enforcement push intensified after an Aug. 12 Florida crash in which Harjinder Singh, licensed in California, failed a post-crash English assessment and was charged with vehicular homicide.
  • California officials dispute the federal findings, noting CDL tests are administered in English and citing a lower fatal crash rate than the national average; the California Highway Patrol says it will not sideline drivers for English violations because state law does not require it.
  • An FMCSA audit flagged systemic licensing noncompliance in multiple states, and DOT has separately warned California of additional funding actions tied to CDL issuance and paused non-domiciled CDL issuances in September.