Whether through transport companies or through the support of business organizations , they are preparing to train operators so they can comply with the new guidelines of the administration of United States President Donald Trump, which requires trucking operators to demonstrate proficiency in English to drive on the country’s roads.

Among the considerations in Donald Trump’s executive order are those requiring drivers to understand traffic signs and road markings, communicate with officers, complete required reports and documents, and follow safety-related instructions.

Faced with this situation, several companies operating under the B1 operator scheme are calling on them to perfect their English language skills and comply with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. These calls have been identified both on the carriers’ social media channels and through direct channels such as WhatsApp.

B1 operators are those who are foreign nationals (not US nationals) and have a visa. Those operating in Mexico must begin their journey in Mexico and end it anywhere in the United States, or they must also travel in the opposite direction.

In addition to companies, some organizations, such as the National Chamber of the Transportation Industry (Canacintra) in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, in conjunction with the Chihuahua State Institute for Job Training (ICATECH) , announced the provision of specialized English courses for freight trucking operators.

According to the president of Canacintra in Ciudad Juárez, the courses are intended to ensure that operators comply with the regulations specified in the United States, “since (revisions) are being reinforced in some states, such as California, where access has been restricted for those who cannot communicate in English ,” shared Isela Molina, president of Canacintra, according to reports from various local media.

In recent days, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Administration (CSVA)announced that the concept “English Proficiency (US Only)” will be added starting June 25 , which will consider the “Part I – Driver” section of the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria with the following language: The driver is unable to read and speak English sufficiently to communicate with the safety officer to respond to official inquiries and instructions in accordance with the FMCSA compliance guide. (391.11(b)(2)) Declare the driver out of service.

Criterion CFR391.11(b)(2), “General Qualifications of Drivers,” states that a driver must be able to 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.

With these considerations in mind, a commercial motor vehicle inspector may remove a driver from service if they cannot demonstrate proficiency in reading and speaking English. According to the Department of Transportation, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will issue guidance for commercial motor vehicle inspectors to ensure consistent enforcement of the English language proficiency standard.

These criteria from both the CVSA and the FMCSA are part of the 60-day period established by the Trump administration to follow up on the measure implemented in the executive order.

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El cargo Operators are trained in English to comply with Donald Trump’s executive order. apareció primero en T21.

In a move that promises to be as controversial as it is decisive, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring all trucking operators to demonstrate proficiency in English to drive on U.S. roads.

The measure, announced by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and announced by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at a White House briefing on April 28, rescinds an Obama- era policy that relaxed these requirements.

Is this a step toward US security, as its proponents argue? Or simply another obstacle for an industry already facing serious challenges?

The issue of language skills on U.S. roads is not new. For years, language requirements for trucking drivers have been a topic of debate, especially as the shortage of operators became more apparent.

Based on the information published in this executive order, the Secretary of Transportation will, within 60 days, identify and begin implementing additional administrative, regulatory, or enforcement measures to improve the working conditions of American truck drivers.

Source: White House website

In 2016, the Obama administration allowed a relaxation of English proficiency requirements, arguing that the industry needed a skilled workforce and, with a shortage of drivers, could not afford to overlook those who didn’t speak the language.

It is in this context that the Trump administration decided to strengthen the enforcement of language requirements. In swift action, the U.S. Department of Transportation began reviewing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for irregularities and will also review the guidelines issued by the Obama administration in 2016, which relaxed the enforcement of English language requirements.

“Federal law is clear: a driver who cannot sufficiently read or speak English, our national language, and understand traffic signs is not qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle in the United States. This common-sense standard should never have been abandoned,” Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in a press release .

According to information released in the United States, carrier and operator groups such as the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and the American Trucking Association (ATA) support the measure, arguing that English proficiency is essential for reading critical signs, understanding emergency instructions, and interacting with law enforcement.

According to information from the federal government in the neighboring country, 410 violations for lack of English proficiency were reported in states like Wyoming alone between October 2023 and September 2024; the measure responds to local concerns about road safety.

Measure that will reduce shortages in Mexico?

Globally , the International Road Transport Union (IRU) projections for 2028 on the shortage of freight transport drivers could reach historic levels, with more than seven million vacancies, of which 1,060,000 would be in Mexico , while in the United States it would be around 125,000 positions .

Among other factors of the shortage of operators in Mexico, which according to IRU in 2024 in Mexico reached levels of 99 thousand operators, the flight of national operators to qualify under the figure called B1 is identified , that is, operators with a US visa who can work in the United States, only on trips that begin in Mexican territory and have as their destination a point in the United States and vice versa.

“For some time now, there has been an effort to limit the operations of companies that operate with the so-called B1s , since in many cases the trips do not begin or end in Mexico, but rather in the United States itself,” commented a carrier involved in trade between the two countries.

Other sources consulted by T21 refer that the measure of limiting B1 operators by B1, could support the shortage of operators that exists in Mexico, since many of them will not be able to comply with the English requirements and this would allow the recovery of jobs that had been lost over time, and that according to IRU, went from having vacancies in 2023 for 56 thousand positions to 99 thousand in 2024.

Attempts to stop the B1

Throughout the border, it is common to see Mexican companies operating in the United States under the B1 category, a situation that increased in the post-COVID-19 pandemic, when there was a high demand for moving goods in the United States and the capacity of local companies was insufficient.

This situation led many Mexican companies to increase their operations in the United States, but precisely because of the drop in cargo levels in the neighboring country, there were various efforts to reduce the operations of B1 operators in that territory.

In recent months, news broke of a state initiative in Arkansas to prohibit the transit of transport units driven by operators holding B1 licenses . “The measure was aimed at limiting the transit of these individuals not only in that state, but nationwide,” commented a binational transportation company executive.

The I-30 highway, which connects the Laredo border and is the most important route for trade between Mexico and the United States, crosses through Arkansas and extends up to the Midwest to transport goods to major consumer centers in the United States. Had the initiative been successful, it would have rendered the B1s inoperable.

“There are many signs that B1s are beginning to be restricted, not only because they are not respecting the right to start or end their journey in Mexican territory, but in some cases, there are records of them carrying out domestic activities beyond what is permitted by the program that covers this concept,” reiterated the executive consulted.

In this context, the measure announced by the executive order appears to have objectives other than the road safety it refers to. However, for Mexico, it could translate into a reduction in vacancies, which are estimated to already reach 15% of the total available positions.

With information from Didier Ramírez.

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