In order to demonstrate functional English proficiency during roadside inspections, drivers must pass a two-part test under the new regulations.
A provision that had been abandoned since 2016 states that drivers who fail the assessment are not allowed to drive until they pass the test.
Foreign-born drivers fear that their jobs may be in danger if they are unjustly punished by arbitrary inspections, even if some in the trucking sector believe that the increased regulation is required to improve safety and communication.
Some people’s accents are quite strong. “There’s a very good chance that the officer will say, ‘I don’t understand,’ if he doesn’t understand what you’re saying,” Hassan added.
Drivers must talk with officers and respond to their inquiries without the use of an interpreter, as well as recognize three of the four typical traffic signs in English.
Officers have too much latitude in judging discussions, according to Hassan. He stated that he is the judge.
The road is already feeling the effects of the increased enforcement.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety has issued 83 citations to drivers who did not fulfill English proficiency levels since the order went into force on May 20. Until they pass the test, the cited truck drivers are not allowed to resume driving.
The Trump administration’s efforts to change immigration policy, including raising money for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and escalating deportations, are also causing changes in the trucking sector.
When questioned about the English competence requirements, a few immigrant drivers were reluctant to speak. A reporter from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was questioned by some as to whether or not they were a government official.
According to Hassan, the driver is experiencing a great deal of worry and sadness as a result.
Industry professionals stressed the need of safety while acknowledging the complexity of the English proficiency standards.
Miguel Martinez-Jimenez is credited.
Miguel Martinez-Jimenez is credited.
There is no factual evidence linking driver qualifications and English proficiency, according to Seth Millican, president and CEO of the Georgia Motor Trucking Association. Communication between drivers and transportation inspectors and law enforcement is enhanced by the language requirements.
Language barriers, in our experience, are more of a problem for the degree of communication needed to comprehend and collaborate with authorities and regulators enforcing safety regulations such as equipment readiness and service hours, than they are for a driver’s ability or proficiency, Millican said.
Republican U.S. Representative Mike Collins, who owns Collins Trucking Company and represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, reaffirmed that position.
This is only a matter of safety. According to Collins, the general public has a right to know that the commercial drivers they share the road with are able to read emergency signs and warnings, understand our laws, and cooperate with law authorities. To develop the next generation of truckers who will lead the industry in efficiency and safety, we should invest in our trucking programs and trades rather than depending on people who are generally unfit for our roads.
Hassan’s main concern was for seasoned drivers who have spent a significant amount of their lives driving trucks and who had few, if any, infractions.
“It’s acceptable if someone has a poor driving record,” he remarked. However, there’s no use in telling someone with twenty years of expertise, “I’ll take away your license, go back to school, and learn English.”
Hassan was concerned about the repercussions for families whose main source of income is trucking.
Concerns regarding the damage to their livelihoods were voiced even by drivers who acknowledged the value of functional English ability.
Bahiru Zenebe, who was born in Ethiopia and has been a driver since 2017, stated that speaking English, reading, and comprehending are the fundamentals for him.
According to him, in order to drive securely, drivers must speak the language.
He said, “Let’s say the traffic (sign) says yield.” You must yield if it says to.
Nevertheless, Zenebe was concerned about the implications of being pulled off the road and how the rules would be applied. According to him, different police officers may regard an immigrant motorist differently.
He claimed that the manner in which one police officer asks me and handles you is different from that of the other. What is my backup plan in case I lose my driver’s license? I don’t possess it.
According to Hassan, many drivers are altering their schedules to drive at night in order to evade inspections because they are worried about the new rules.
He remarked, “I know some people (are) still working, but they worry a lot.” Since they are unsure of their chances of passing, several of them altered their schedules in order to avoid it.
