Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America's Truck Drivers

Executive Order 14286 of April 28, 2025

Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for
America's Truck Drivers

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. America's truck drivers are
essential to the strength of our economy, the security
of our Nation, and the livelihoods of the American
people. Every day, truckers perform the demanding and
dangerous work of transporting the Nation's goods to
businesses, customers, and communities safely,
reliably, and efficiently.

Proficiency in English, which I designated as our
official national language in Executive Order 14224 of
March 1, 2025 (Designating English as the Official
Language of the United States), should be a non-
negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers.
They should be able to read and understand traffic
signs, communicate with traffic safety, border patrol,
agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit
station officers. Drivers need to provide feedback to
their employers and customers and receive related
directions in English. This is common sense.

That is why Federal law requires that, to operate a
commercial vehicle, a driver must “read and speak the
English language sufficiently to converse with the
general public, to understand highway traffic signs and
signals in the English language, to respond to official
inquiries, and to make entries on reports and
records.” Yet this requirement has not been enforced
in years, and America's roadways have become less safe.

My Administration will enforce the law to protect the
safety of American truckers, drivers, passengers, and
others, including by upholding the safety enforcement
regulations that ensure that anyone behind the wheel of
a commercial vehicle is properly qualified and
proficient in our national language, English.

Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration
to support America's truckers and safeguard our
roadways by enforcing the commonsense English-language
requirement for commercial motor vehicle drivers and
removing needless regulatory burdens that undermine the
working conditions of America's truck drivers. This
order will help ensure a safe, secure, and efficient
motor carrier industry.

Sec. 3. Upholding English Proficiency Requirements for
Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators. (a) The Secretary
of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA), shall, within 60 days of the date of this
order, rescind the guidance document titled, “English
Language Proficiency Testing and Enforcement Policy MC-
ECE-2016-006,” issued on June 15, 2016, and issue new
guidance to FMCSA and enforcement personnel outlining
revised inspection procedures necessary to ensure
compliance with the requirements of 49 CFR
391.11(b)(2).

    (b) In carrying out subsection (a) of this section,
the Secretary of Transportation, through the
Administrator of the FMCSA, shall take all necessary
and appropriate actions, consistent with applicable
law, to ensure that the out-of-service criteria are
revised such that a violation of the English language
proficiency requirement results in the driver being
placed out-of-service, including by working with the
relevant entities responsible for establishing the out-
of-service criteria.

Sec. 4. Strengthening Commercial Driver's License
Security for Safer Commercial Motor Vehicle Operations.
The Secretary of Transportation, through the
Administrator of the FMCSA, shall:

    (a) review non-domiciled commercial driver's
licenses (CDLs) issued by relevant State agencies to
identify any unusual patterns or numbers or other
irregularities with respect to non-domiciled CDL
issuance; and
    (b) evaluate and take appropriate actions to
improve the effectiveness of current protocols for
verifying the authenticity and validity of both
domestic and international commercial driving
credentials.

Sec. 5. Supporting America's Truck Drivers. Within 60
days of the date of this order, the Secretary of
Transportation shall identify and begin carrying out
additional administrative, regulatory, or enforcement
actions to improve the working conditions of America's
truck drivers.

Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
    (d) The Department of Transportation shall provide
funding for this order's publication in the Federal
Register.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    April 28, 2025.