Can California Afford to Lose Immigrant Truck Drivers? The Impact of English Proficiency Rules

Over the past several months, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has been monitoring and enforcing measures adopted under the Trump Administration to ensure compliance with English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements for commercial truck drivers. These efforts followed a series of high-profile fatal accidents that authorities say involved drivers who were unable to speak or understand English.

The enforcement campaign has intensified, with officials such as U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasizing the urgency of the legislation. Duffy highlighted the importance of holding states accountable, enforcing traffic laws, and taking decisive action against drivers who do not meet English-language requirements.

In a post on social media, Duffy told drivers: “If you can’t receive proper training, read road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business behind the wheel of a truck.”

It is estimated that approximately 10,700 drivers have been removed from the nation’s roadways for failing to meet English-language proficiency requirements, a result that the Department of Transportation has described as a significant achievement.

However, an article published by The Guardian argues that industry analysts believe the USDOT campaign may be pushing drivers out of entire regions of the country, particularly in the Midwest, where major transportation corridors connect the East Coast with the South and Western regions of the United States.

Can California Afford to Lose Immigrant Truck Drivers?

The states most affected by the Department of Transportation’s ELP regulations have been Texas, California, New Mexico, and Arizona. These states have experienced months of legal battles that resulted in funding cuts, loss of financial support, and other economic consequences.

Approximately 8% of California’s truck drivers—an estimated 61,000 individuals—are immigrants. With 17,000 Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) reportedly revoked in the state due to insufficient English proficiency, an important question emerges: Can California afford to lose immigrant truck drivers?

California may strengthen enforcement measures and require stricter compliance, but a large-scale reduction in immigrant drivers would affect ports, agriculture, distribution networks, prices, and delivery times. California’s reliance on immigrant truck drivers is not accidental. The state depends on them because they fill demanding, high-turnover, and essential positions, including port drayage operations, agricultural routes, refrigerated freight transportation, regional deliveries, and container movement.

If fewer drivers remain qualified to operate, the likely consequences would include:

• Fewer trucks available on the road
• More delays at ports and warehouses
• Higher transportation costs
• Negative impacts on agriculture and food distribution
• Increased pressure on small businesses

California is a critical gateway for U.S. commerce. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handle a substantial share of the nation’s containerized cargo, meaning that any reduction in truck driver availability has consequences that extend far beyond the state.

A shortage of drivers leads to higher transportation costs per mile, increased surcharges, longer wait times, and more intense competition for available drivers. The burden also falls heavily on small businesses. Many immigrants work as owner-operators or manage small trucking companies. If they lose their commercial licenses, the consequences extend beyond their ability to drive and can affect insurance coverage, contracts, permits, financing, and the viability of family-owned or small-scale fleets.

Reframing the issue leads to the real question:

How can safety be ensured without disrupting the supply chain?

California needs drivers who can comply with the law, read road signs, communicate during inspections, understand operational instructions, and operate safely. At the same time, the state needs a sufficient workforce to sustain commerce and freight movement.

A sudden reduction in qualified drivers may appear to improve safety, but without training programs, transition periods, fair review processes, and expanded driver education, it could evolve into an operational crisis.

California cannot easily replace immigrant truck drivers. The state can require higher standards, functional English proficiency, properly audited licenses, and stronger oversight. However, continually reducing the number of qualified drivers would have a direct impact: less transportation capacity, higher costs, longer delays, and greater pressure on California’s economy as a whole.