Abu Sabet: States throughout the U.S. have revoked driving privileges for 5,500 commercial truck drivers who failed basic English assessments while working north of the border, according to Israel Delgado Vallejo, vice president of Mexico’s Northwest Chamber of Freight Transporters.
“So far, we’ve registered 5,500 out of service and suspended licenses, we are seeing harder and more stringent enforcement,” Delgado Vallejo said.
Six months ago, President Trump issued an executive order reinstituting an existing law that mandates commercial truck drivers must speak and understand enough English to read road signs and interact with law enforcement.
Delgado Vallejo told the El Sol Newspaper in Tijuana that he expects enforcement to continue at least through the end of the year, especially in states like Texas where the majority of suspensions have been issued.
“Eighty-thousand people work as truck drivers moving freight and other products along the border between Mexico and the United States, about 80 percent of them don’t speak English.”
Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation warned states such as California, Washington and New Mexico to enforce the English-speaking mandate.
DOT is threatening to take away federal transportation funds from states that don’t comply and implement the language assessments and penalties for drivers who fail the tests.
Through its Highway Patrol, the state of California has said it will not take away driver’s licenses from truckers because they can’t speak English.
BP/SM
