Over 7,200 commercial truck drivers in the U.S. have been disqualified in 2025 after failing mandatory English proficiency tests, part of a stricter enforcement campaign by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) following multiple fatal crashes involving Indian-origin drivers.
The North American Punjabi Truckers Association estimates that between 130,000 and 150,000 truck drivers in the U.S. come from Punjab and Haryana, and many have been affected by these disqualifications.
U.S. Crackdown on English Tests Disqualifies Thousands of Indian-Origin Truck Drivers
On October 30, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that 7,248 drivers were declared “out of service” for failing real-time roadside English Language Proficiency (ELP) checks.
This number represents a steep rise compared to around 1,500 such debarments recorded up to July 2025, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) inspection database.
The stricter enforcement follows several serious accidents, including a major pileup in California in October where an Indian driver allegedly caused three deaths.
DOT sources reported that the California driver, who was an undocumented immigrant, had repeatedly failed the English proficiency test before the fatal incident.
Officials blame the incident on California’s “lax adoption of Trump-era language rules,” with Secretary Duffy criticizing “sanctuary states” like California for ignoring federal language enforcement guidelines.
Another accident in August involved Harjinder Singh, an Indian national accused of causing a triple-fatality on Florida’s Turnpike, despite doubts about his English qualifications.
Both incidents have led to increased scrutiny of how Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) are issued, especially to foreign or non-domiciled drivers from India and South Asia, a group that has grown in U.S. trucking due to persistent driver shortages.
Revived Federal Rule Requires Truck Drivers to Demonstrate English Proficiency
The revived regulation, 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2), mandates that CDL holders must be able to read and speak English well enough to talk with the public, understand road signs, communicate with officials, and maintain accurate driving records.
This rule had been enforced less strictly since 2016, when an Obama-era memo advised against removing drivers solely for English deficiencies.
Enforcement became stricter again after President Trump’s 2025 executive order and DOT directives that required immediate disqualification for failing ELP tests as of June 25, 2025.
Under the new policy, roadside inspectors now test drivers through simple conversations, traffic sign recognition, and question-based assessments.
In one fatal crash case, an Indian driver reportedly answered only two of twelve questions correctly and failed nearly all road sign questions.
India continues to be a major source of new commercial drivers for the U.S., especially in Texas and California.
The North American Punjabi Truckers Association confirmed that many of the disqualified drivers are from Punjab and Haryana.
Industry leaders have warned that the crackdown is disrupting logistics networks and affecting bilingual or non-English speaking drivers unfairly.
“These drivers know the regulations, but now they’re debarred over language perception,” said Adalberto Campero, CEO of a major logistics company.
Trucking companies argue that the enforcement is damaging supply chains and disproportionately targeting drivers from regions where English is not the first language.
Secretary Duffy has strongly criticized California and other states for issuing commercial licenses without strictly enforcing federal English proficiency standards.
