Since June 25, the executive order signed by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has come into effect, which requires motor transport operators with B1 visas to speak and read English in order to operate legally on the roads of the neighboring country to the north.
While it has been identified as a protective measure, this order is actually aimed at reinforcing a 2016 law by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) , implemented to establish measures for deficiencies in English proficiency .
In response to this situation, the Nuevo Laredo Freight Carriers Association (ATC) began working months ago on an application that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to support truck drivers in practicing and strengthening their English through their cell phones.
PASO allows operators to have real-time feedback on their language knowledge through AI, but it also corrects pronunciation so that it can be improved by the operators .
“The English language proficiency requirement has always existed for trucking operators, but it was reinforced under President Trump’s administration,” identified Pedro Lozano Martínez, president of ATC.
The app called PASO allows B1 operators (Mexicans with visas who operate in the United States) to practice English at any time without being tied to classes or schedules. ATC is the founding association of this project, developed in conjunction with Panacea , which developed the app.
“This tool addresses a real need of our operators. It’s not just about learning English; it’s about enabling them to cross with confidence, handle a consular interview or inspection without language being a barrier to their work,” Lozano Martínez added.
This new tool is now available, and the service contract will be managed through ATC.
PASO prepares operators for three scenarios:
- Visa interviews and consular renewals.
- Border crossings and FAST inspections of the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) .
- Road inspections conducted by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) .
According to Pedro Lozano, there is currently an estimated record of about 25,000 trucking operators who were “taken out of service” for not mastering the English language , “it’s not that they stop operating, they must go through their process and demonstrate their mastery of the language and return to their activity.”
Blandina Guerra Fernández, representative in Tamaulipas of the Federal Ministry of Economy , recognized Nuevo Laredo’s leadership in international trade and congratulated ATC for this initiative in favor of carriers who face language as a daily barrier in their work .
Also participating in the PASO presentation were Edgar Orfelio Martínez, Vice President of ATC; Ricardo Pillado, delegate of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) in Nuevo Laredo; and Alaster Love, Chief Technology Officer of Panacea.
*Photos taken from ATC’s Facebook account.
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