Punjabi trucking community in the US reels as English test disqualifies thousands

English tests stall Punjabi truckers

A spike in enforcement has put 7,248 commercial drivers "out of service" in 2025 for failing FMCSA roadside English checks, with Indian-origin truckers disproportionately affected—a move regulators say improves safety but industry groups warn will deepen the US driver shortage.

The rule and the crackdown

In 2025, the US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration began enforcing new roadside English language tests for commercial truck drivers to adhere to regulation 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2), requiring them to be able to read and speak English sufficiently to communicate with the public, understand traffic signs and directions from law-enforcement officers. About 7,248 drivers were placed “out of service” for failing the tests, according to US DOT data and Punjabi trucking groups.

Why Indian-origin drivers are disproportionately affected

Thousands of foreign-born drivers, a large number of whom are from the Punjab and Haryana regions, work in the US trucking industry. Community estimates say 130,000-150,000 Indian-origin drivers are active nationwide, making them more vulnerable to stepped-up checks. The crackdown was in response to several fatal accidents involving drivers of Indian origin, coupled with renewed scrutiny of licensing standards

Chain reaction: Licensing, enforcement and funding

The enforcement push coincided with tighter licensing and visa rules, including a freeze on new worker visas for commercial truckers and warnings that states with lax enforcement could lose federal highway funds. California was flagged for weak compliance and faced potential withholding of tens of millions of dollars.

Industry and supply-chain impact

Fleets warn the rule could worsen a long-running driver shortage. Many immigrant drivers with clean records fear being sidelined by stricter language checks. Critics say the link between English proficiency and crash risk is thin, while regulators say basic English is a safety baseline for reading signs, receiving instructions and interacting with police or emergency crews.

What this means for drivers and companies

Immigrant truckers with valid CDLs risk roadside disqualification unless they can pass oral and sign recognition tests, and may find it difficult to renew licenses or transfer them from one state to another. Meanwhile, carriers who depend on immigrant drivers will experience service disruptions, increased training expense and driver turnover. Federal authorities are pushing licensing states to increase verification or lose federal funding.

What happens next

FMCSA says it will continue to audit state compliance. Those states already flagged for lapses face further penalties. Trade groups are lobbying for clearer, standardised testing, funded language training for drivers and transparent, non-discriminatory enforcement.