AdvertisementAdvertisementAn instructor talks to a student driver at the California Truck Driving Academy in Inglewood, California, on Nov 17, 2021. (Photo: AP/Jae C Hong)27 Aug 2025 10:41AM (Updated: 27 Aug 2025 10:42AM) Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInRead a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST WASHINGTON: The US Transportation Department said on Tuesday (Aug 27) it will withhold federal funding from California, Washington State, and New Mexico unless they adopt English proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers.The administration of US President Donald Trump has taken a series of steps to address concerns about foreign truck drivers who do not speak English, and last week Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was immediately pausing the issuance of all worker visas for commercial truck drivers.In April, Trump signed an executive order directing the enforcement of a rule requiring commercial drivers in the US to meet English proficiency standards.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the department could withhold about US$50 million in federal funding if the states do not comply in 30 days and could take further action.Washington State said its state patrol was currently reviewing the matter with its state transportation partners and will have a detailed response soon.New Mexico's Transportation Department did not immediately respond.A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom said the Trump Administration was "scrambling to shift blame" after it had approved the federal work permit for a driver who killed three people in a truck crash in Florida on Aug 12.‘Not a great time to be here’: Asians rethink working, studying in Trump’s AmericaUS to require bonds of up to US$15,000 for some tourist visas under pilot programmeLast week, Duffy said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched an investigation into the crash, which involved an Indian national who did not speak English or have legal authorisation to be in the United States, according to Florida and US officials.Duffy said the investigation found the three states were not enforcing the English proficiency rules.Driver Harjinder Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. Police said he attempted to make an illegal U-turn through an “Official Use Only” access point, blocking traffic and causing the fatal crash after a minivan struck his truck.Harjinder Singh is escorted to an airplane by law enforcement on Aug 21, 2025, in Stockton, California. (Photo: AP/Benjamin Fanjoy)While the English-proficiency standard for truckers was already longstanding US law, Trump's executive order in April reversed 2016 guidance that inspectors should not place commercial drivers out of service if their only violation was lack of English.Duffy said failing to adequately enforce driver qualification standards poses serious safety concerns and increases the likelihood of crashes.FMCSA said in 2023 that about 16 per cent of US truck drivers were born outside the United States.American Trucking Associations CEO Chris Spear praised Duffy's announcement, saying "Every commercial driver operating in the United States must be able to read road signs, communicate with law enforcement, and understand safety instructions."Source: Reuters/ecSign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST