Gavin Newsom caves as California enforces English tests for truck drivers

After months of refusing to comply with federal regulations requiring truck drivers to be tested for English language proficiency, California Governor Gavin Newsom is finally reversing course, the United States Department of Transportation confirmed to the Post on Friday. 

The USDOT withheld over $40 million from the state last October after USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy said California was the only state that failed to enforce the regulations requiring truckers pass a test showing they can communicate in English and understand traffic signs. 

“I shouldn’t have had to threaten to withhold millions in funding for California to come to their senses and enforce the law,” Duffy told The California Post. “For those who said we’re playing politics—our efforts have gotten real results for the American people.”

In an effort to strengthen road safety, President Donald Trump signed an executive order back in April that pulled truckers from the road and disqualified those who failed their ELP test.

State law enforcement is required to test drivers for proficiency in English during routine traffic stops.

The USDOT confirmed to The Post that California has started to enforce the longstanding rules, and the department is now in the processing of unfreezing the $40 million in federal funds. 

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In August, a truck driver who caused a deadly crash when he made an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike, did not speak English and failed the assessment, providing only 2 of 12 correct responses to verbal questions and only accurately identifying 1 of 4 highway traffic signs, according to the USDOT. 

Trump had not yet restored the ELP violations when California issued the driver the commercial license in 2024. 

California issued the commercial license, but Trump’s executive order had not been in place.

“If states had followed the rules, this driver would never have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us.” Duffy said in a statement at the time.

The California Highway Patrol has been quietly testing for ELP since mid-January, according to KRON4.

The outlet captured video of an officer conducting an assessment during a stop, where the driver said he only understood a little English. No citations were issued, but the trucker’s passenger, who did speak proficient English, was required to take the wheel. 

“California Highway Patrol has begun enforcing the English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements for all drivers of commercial motor vehicles,” Nick Chiappe, director of government and regulatory affairs for the California Trucking Association, said in a post on LinkedIn.