English for Truckers

Current federal transportation law requires that licensed commercial truckers speak English well enough to communicate with the police. Nevertheless, over 25,000 tickets were issued last year to poor English-speaking truckers for violations of the law.

Now the federal government is trying to tighten the English requirement, saying the change is needed for safety reasons.

Most states let truckers and bus drivers take at least part of their license tests in languages other than English. But the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed rules requiring anyone applying for a commercial drivers license to speak English during their road test and vehicle inspection. The agency wants to change its rules to eliminate the use of interpreters, and congressional approval isn't required.

Drivers could still take written tests in other languages in states where that is allowed, and they wouldn't have to be completely fluent during the road test, said Bill Quade, an associate administrator with the agency.

"Our requirement is that drivers understand English well enough to respond to a roadside officer and to be able to converse," said Quade, who heads enforcement. Drivers need to be able to communicate with authorities about their loads and their vehicles, he said.

A handful of states and organizations are supporting the change, and no one opposed the new rule in comments submitted to the agency.

The rule change is expected to take effect next year.

So, my question? Where are the complaints and the protesters? Where are the calls of racism? It's quite unusual for proposals regarding the English language to go unchallenged by the various open-borders groups.