Transportation secretary withholding $40M from California for not enforcing English proficiency in truckers

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Wednesday that he plans to withhold $40 million from California due to the state’s failure to enforce English language requirements for commercial truck drivers.

This comes after an investigation into a fatal accident in Florida involving a foreign truck driver who made an improper U-turn on August 12. Duffy highlighted what he termed “serious shortcomings” in California’s enforcement of regulations that were implemented following one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders in June. Notably, California had granted a commercial license to the driver, but the English language requirements in question predate the incident.

According to Duffy, truck drivers should face disqualification if they cannot prove English proficiency. He asserted that the driver involved in the crash should not have received a commercial license in light of his immigration status. The political implications of the crash have intensified, with the governors of California and Florida exchanging criticisms, while Duffy emphasizes immigration issues during media appearances.

“California is the sole state in the nation that fails to ensure truck drivers can read road signs and communicate effectively with law enforcement. This is a pivotal safety concern that affects every family traveling on American roads,” Duffy stated.

In a formal response last month, California defended its regulatory practices to the Transportation Department, but federal officials were left unconvinced.

Following Duffy’s announcement, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office quickly responded. Spokeswoman Diana Crofts-Pelayo pointed out that California commercial drivers have a crash rate below the national average.

However, during his August announcement, Duffy revealed that California conducted approximately 34,000 inspections since the new language standards’ implementation, which identified several violations, yet only one inspection resulted in a driver being removed from service for an English-language rule violation. Additionally, 23 drivers with violations from other states were permitted to continue operating after inspections in California.

The Transportation Department has stated that California must establish regulations to enforce English rules and ensure state inspectors are evaluating truck drivers’ English skills during roadside inspections, removing anyone who fails from service, in order for the funding to be reinstated.

In addition to the English language enforcement issue, Duffy has also warned that another $160 million in funding could be revoked due to the manner in which California issues commercial driving licenses. Last month, he imposed significant restrictions on licensure qualifications.

The tragic accident resulted in three fatalities when truck driver Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn on a highway approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of West Palm Beach, causing a minivan to collide with his trailer, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Both Singh and his passenger were unharmed.

Singh is currently held without bail, facing three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations. His attorney has previously refrained from commenting on the situation.

The incident drew significant scrutiny due to uncertainties surrounding Singh’s immigration status and the revelation that he failed an English proficiency test afterward. Duffy and officials in Florida have placed blame on both California and Washington state for awarding him a commercial driver’s license.

However, California officials asserted that Singh held a valid work permit at the time. Furthermore, New Mexico released video footage from a traffic stop, showing Singh effectively communicating with an officer when pulled over in July.

In the ongoing discourse, Duffy, President Donald Trump, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have engaged in a heated exchange with Newsom concerning the incident and the appropriateness of Singh operating a truck.

Newsom’s office maintains that California adhered to all regulations when issuing Singh a license in July 2024, and federal officials confirmed that at that time, he was legally present in the country.

Duffy and authorities in Florida contend that Singh, originally from India, crossed into the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018.