Potential impacts President Donald Trump’s English language proficiency executive order on the trucking industry?

Trucking’s enduring mystery of 2025 revolves around non-citizen drivers. How many are there? Are they safe? Will they exit the market following President Donald Trump’s English language proficiency executive order and promise to investigate the issuance of CDLs to individuals not permanently domiciled in the U.S.?

Nobody really knows. Trump’s executive order itself calls for a “review” of states' non-domiciled CDLs to spot any “unusual patterns” in their issuance. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators all say they have no idea how many of these licenses for non-citizens exist.

So, there's a lot of uncertainty surrounding non-citizen truck drivers in 2025. President Trump's executive order, signed on April 28, 2025, directs the Department of Transportation to enforce English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers. The order also calls for a review of non-domiciled CDLs to identify any unusual issuance patterns.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators have all stated that they don't have a clear count of how many non-citizen CDLs exist. However, an investigation found that tens of thousands of non-domiciled CDLs have been issued over the last decade, with some states struggling to track their own numbers.

The enforcement of English proficiency rules has sparked debate. Some industry groups support the move, citing safety concerns, while others worry about sidelining a significant portion of the workforce. A petition opposing the mandate has already gathered thousands of signatures, with critics arguing that enforcement could be subjective and disproportionately affect drivers with strong accents.

The trucking industry could see several major shifts due to President Trump's executive order enforcing English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers:

- Labor Shortages: The order could sideline thousands of non-citizen drivers who struggle with English proficiency, exacerbating existing driver shortages. The trucking industry has relied heavily on immigrant labor, with over 700,000 truck drivers born outside the U.S. between 2000 and 2021.

- Supply Chain Disruptions: With fewer drivers available, freight movement could slow down, leading to delays in deliveries and increased costs for businesses relying on trucking.

- Safety Concerns: Supporters argue that enforcing English proficiency will improve road safety by ensuring drivers can read traffic signs and communicate with officials. However, critics worry that enforcement could be subjective and disproportionately affect drivers with strong accents.

- Regulatory Challenges: The order also calls for a review of non-domiciled CDLs, which could lead to stricter licensing requirements and additional hurdles for immigrant drivers seeking empl - Industry Pushback: Some trucking organizations support the mandate, citing safety benefits, while others argue it could unfairly target immigrant drivers and reduce workforce diversity.

- Industry Pushback: Some trucking organizations support the mandate, citing safety benefits, while others argue it could unfairly target immigrant drivers and reduce workforce diversity.

The full impact remains uncertain, but the industry is bracing for potential disruptions. What’s your perspective on these changes?