Governor Greg Abbott has instructed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to enforce English language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers in accordance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations.
“Truckers play an instrumental role in Texas’ robust economy and in keeping our highways safe,” said Governor Abbott. “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. Today, I am directing DPS to enact zero-tolerance enforcement of these federal safety regulations across the board—whether drivers are operating across state lines or only within Texas. This approach will keep Texans safe while keeping our economy moving.”
Following this directive, DPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Troopers and inspectors will carry out English Language Proficiency reviews for all commercial license operators on roads throughout the state. These checks are intended to confirm that drivers have adequate communication skills required by federal law for roadway safety.
Since June 25, 2025, after President Donald Trump issued an executive order mandating full enforcement of English proficiency standards for commercial drivers, DPS and its partner agencies have taken action against about 445 commercial vehicle drivers in Texas due to violations related to English proficiency. Among those cited, approximately 28 held licenses from Texas, around 336 were licensed in Mexico, and the rest had licenses from other states or countries.
Governor Abbott has also ordered DPS to stop issuing intrastate commercial driver licenses to applicants who cannot speak English well enough to communicate with department staff.
