Key takeaways
- Texas governor Greg Abbott has announced plans to strictly enforce the new English language proficiency requirements for truckers in the state.
- Nearly 500 truckers in the state have been flagged for not meeting the requirements since June 25th, when the executive order from President Trump was signed.
- The decision could have a dire impact on the logistics industry, with many businesses already struggling to keep up due to workforce shortages.
Texas is planning to take its enforcement of English language proficiency for truckers to the max, with the governor announcing that the zero-tolerance policy will be enforced across the state.
The trucker shortage has become a big issue across the logistics industry. A lack of labor options has many businesses struggling to keep up with demand, leading to delays that impact businesses as well as consumers.
That doesn’t seem to bother the governor of Texas, though, who plans to take even more truckers off the road with strict enforcement of English language proficiency rules that could negatively impact the workforce.
Texas Governor Announces Strict Enforcement for English Proficiency Requirements
Announced in a statement from the governor’s office, Greg Abbott has stated that the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) plans “to strictly enforce the English language proficiency requirements” on Texas roadways moving forward.
“Truckers play an instrumental role in Texas’ robust economy and in keeping our highways safe. Every commercial driver license operator on Texas roadways must be able to communicate clearly in English to ensure compliance with traffic laws, follow safety directions, and prevent accidents.” – Texas Governor Greg Abbotts
It is unclear what exactly these strict enforcements will look like, but the statement from the Governor noted that troopers “will conduct English Language Proficiency reviews for all commercial license operators on Texas roadways,” which could mean that roadside stops of potential non-English speakers are on the table.
Why Is Texas Cracking Down on Non-English Speakers?
There are understandably some safety concerns about non-English speakers hauling freight on US roadways, but the problem seems to have gotten a lot of attention lately, and you can probably guess why.
That’s right, President Trump has used the issue to further his anti-immigrant agenda, signing an executive order on June 25th that puts strict English language proficiency requirements on truckers across the country.
The executive order has been enforced in Texas quite a bit, with “approximately 445 commercial vehicle drivers in Texas” being sidelined on the road for English proficiency violations.
The Impact of English Proficiency Requirements on the Logistics Industry
As you can imagine, these English language proficiency requirements are putting a bit of a strain on the logistics industry. In fact, our Pulse data found that more and more professionals see “adapting to regulations” as a primary concern for their businesses.
On top of that, the national trucker shortage is just as prevalent in Texas, which means that these truckers coming off the road will likely contribute to the worsening workforce numbers.
Suffice to say, Texas may run into some serious logistical problems moving forward if they can’t figure out a way to add drivers to the state, rather than removing them because they can’t speak English.
