First came U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order in April 2025 requiring all trucking operators to demonstrate proficiency in English to drive on U.S. roads.

Then, the Secretary of  Transportation  of our northern neighbor,  Sean P. Duffy , signed a  new guideline that leaves those who do not comply with that rule “out -of- service” starting June 25.

And as if it were a new chapter in a saga, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) seems determined to keep up the pressure and has issued a new recommendation: transportation managers must interview their operators in English as part of the qualification process.

Until recently, interviewing an operator meant checking their experience, license, driving record, and, if applicable, their basic English proficiency. Today, language is no longer an accessory: it’s part of the filter.

And it’s not just about saying hello. The interview should include questions that determine whether the operator is capable of handling an inspection: what is the origin and destination of their trip, how long they’ve been in service, what their license says, what cargo they’re carrying, and what equipment is being inspected. All without the help of apps , translators, or support cards.

At least one operator has already been removed from service for being unable to communicate in English during an inspection, and although the official implementation is scheduled for June 25, some inspectors have already begun to apply the criterion. This was stated by Juan Carlos Varela , director of the Transportation Division in  Palos Garza .

To address this new scenario, the company hired bilingual instructors and implemented a rotating training program with sessions before and after each crossing.

“We provide two hours of training before the export trip and two hours upon return. We also use recorded audio for reinforcement. We can’t allow language to be a barrier to continuing to operate,” Varela explained.

According to the FMCSA, this checkpoint must not only check whether the driver can communicate with officers on the road, but also whether the driver understands traffic signs . Therefore, it suggests that the manager select some signs from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and ask the driver to explain their meaning.

This part can be answered in Spanish, as long as the manager understands, but everything else must be done in English.

In this regard, Ángel Hernández, general manager of  Super Transporte Internacional (STI) , has begun strengthening internal filters . Although his company has not reported any sanctions for this reason, they are already preparing for what could be a stricter application of the requirement.

“There hasn’t been a general situation where there have been a high number of violations, there haven’t been, but it can be forced,” he warned.

As part of this preventive strategy, they have incorporated basic language assessments supported by official materials .

“We’re administering some small language proficiency tests, and CECATI (Industrial Work Training Centers) also gave us some guidelines,” Hernández explained.

From his experience at the border, Héctor Hinojosa, delegate of the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacar) , acknowledged that English training is not a novelty , but rather a pending task that the sector has neglected by focusing on the urgent.

“There have always been courses, but we let our guard down a bit to keep the business moving forward,” he admitted.

For him, strengthening language proficiency is both a means of meeting an international requirement and protecting operators.

“They’re not coming as tourists; they’re driving a tractor-trailer, they’re providing a service,” he emphasized.

Therefore, your company has already begun resuming training, with the expectation that both authorities, Mexican and American, can coordinate a gradual transition.

Still, he knows there will be operators who decide not to continue: “Some will return to domestic routes, others will continue training to enter the United States properly,” Hinojosa said.

For now, the industry is clearly reorganizing. Some are correcting course, others are rethinking internal processes, but in all cases, the message is the same: speaking English is no longer an added value; it’s part of the minimum qualifications required to cross the line.

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Knowing how to say “hello” and “bye” is no longer enough to operate on U.S. roads; the issue remains, as U.S. authorities continue to pressure truck drivers to master English .

Following U.S. President Donald Trump ‘s executive order last April requiring all truck drivers to demonstrate proficiency in English to drive on U.S. roads, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy signed new enforcement guidelines on May 20.

As if it were a reality show where contestants must meet extreme requirements in record time, the United States will require all commercial trucking operators crossing the border to demonstrate a genuine command of English, or face being “out -of- service” starting June 25.

The new guidance requires heavy commercial vehicle drivers to be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with authorities, and understand regulatory documents in English, posing a direct challenge to Mexican operators who frequently cross the border.

In February 2025, cross-border trade between Mexico, the United States, and Canada reached $131.6 billion , a 2.1% increase year-over-year. Of this total, trucking moved $86.6 billion in merchandise , representing 3.9% annual growth, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) .

This growth demonstrates the importance of trucking in international trade, especially for Mexico, which plays a key role in cross-border trade.

The challenge begins! Are you ready?

But as in every reality show , there are good challenges and others not so good. Some industry players told T21 that this measure could be a challenge to promote training , to maintain competitiveness at an international level, but others also see it as an opportunity to reduce the shortage of operators in Mexico .

With such a crucial market at stake, any measure affecting trucking operators , such as requiring English proficiency in the United States, could impact Mexico’s competitiveness in cross-border trade and could also have significant repercussions on the daily operations that maintain the steady flow of goods.

This decision, which reverses the Obama administration ‘s 2016 policy that relaxed language requirements, underscores a core belief of the Trump administration: “English proficiency is essential for traffic safety,” according to the press release and the measure published by the United States.

For the United States, this represents a step toward reducing accidents caused by a lack of communication between drivers and authorities. But the question remains: How will this measure affect Mexican operators who depend on cross-border trade connections to operate in the United States?

With more than 99,000 operator vacancies in Mexico registered in 2024 , according to the International Road Transport Union (IRU) , the new US measure could somewhat reverse the shortage of drivers in Mexico , since there are operators who, not mastering English before June 2025, will be left filling vacancies in Mexican territory.

The measure will primarily affect all commercial drivers operating in the United States, including those with foreign licenses or B-1 and H-2B visas . This new guidance will be implemented throughout the United States by federal and state inspectors, implying a widespread reach.

Likewise, Mexican companies must act quickly to ensure their operators comply with the new requirements. Verification of English proficiency and specialized training will be essential to avoid sanctions and ensure competitiveness in the cross-border market.

While this measure represents a challenge for the sector, it could also benefit it, as by excluding operators who don’t meet English requirements, it could open up new opportunities for Mexican drivers to fill those vacant positions, helping to reduce the operator shortage in Mexico.

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