🚨 When trucks stop, the country stops. So why are we forcing experienced drivers off the road over a language rule that’s more about politics than safety? Let’s talk about what’s really behind this policy.
On April 28, an executive order signed by President Donald Trump was put into effect. The order alters the penalty for violating a longstanding rule that requires commercial motor vehicle drivers to “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in English, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.”
Under the Obama administration, the penalty for noncompliance was relaxed — violators received citations instead of being taken off the road. Now, the Trump administration is reinstating a harsher stance. As one official stated: “We are issuing guidance that ensures a driver who cannot understand English will not drive a vehicle in this country. Period. Full stop.”
Let’s call this what it is — blatant racism. This isn’t subtle. The order will impact truckers across North America. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), which includes Canada, the United States, and Mexico, provides guidance for enforcement across all three countries. Yet, you don’t see Mexico mandating Spanish fluency for foreign drivers operating within its borders. Consider places like Laredo, Texas, which are fully bilingual. And in Canada, bilingualism is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms — just ask our French friends.
We welcomed these drivers through immigration programs to address a critical driver shortage. Now that the economy is struggling, freight rates are down, and profits are tight, the solution is not to push these workers out. As Canadians, we have a moral obligation to do the right thing.
If language truly is a safety issue, then why does Alberta offer its Class 7 (learner’s license) knowledge test in 25 languages? These include Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Oromo, Polish, Portuguese, Tagalog, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, and more. If safety starts with comprehension, why not enforce language standards from the very first licensing step?
Currently, there’s no standardized test for “sufficient English.” It's up to each officer’s judgment — a recipe for abuse of authority, especially at a time when the U.S. Department of Transportation is undergoing a workforce reduction plan with DOGE.
Do some of these drivers need to be off the road? Absolutely. But the answer isn’t unemployment and potential deportation — it’s education. Teach them basic English. Put them through a commercial driver refresher. Alberta’s new Red Seal driver program would be a perfect starting point, put your money where your mouth is. If safety is the goal, invest in training. Personally, I’d feel safer sharing the road with an experienced driver who can drive rather than a brand-new driver who speaks the King’s English.
This directive will reduce the number of drivers on the road, creating less competition for what little freight is available. That should drive rates up — and hopefully, that revenue will go toward better wages, not just corporate profit. If drivers earned a living wage, they wouldn’t be forced to speed, drive tired, or risk dangerous weather just to make ends meet.
Poverty wages are a greater safety hazard than limited English. And when the economy rebounds, we’ll be right back in a driver shortage — especially with 48% of Canada’s truck drivers now over the age of 50. The industry isn’t attracting enough young Canadians because the pay simply isn’t worth the risk. Who wants to risk their life on icy highways for $1.00 per kilometre? Canada should not do this, be an example of basic human decency.
With 2024 in the rearview mirror, it’s time to cautiously look ahead to 2025, a year poised for changes in commercial transportation. Regardless of political affiliations, we can all agree that commercial transportation and driver safety demand urgent attention. While the first few months of the year may bring little change due to political transitions, the groundwork laid this year could shape the future of the industry. Here’s what I foresee for 2025.
Transport Canada, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA), and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) are all gearing up for potential shifts. A new federal transport minister will likely be appointed by summer, and their effectiveness will depend on their ambitions. A proactive minister could drive reforms, while a placeholder appointment might maintain the status quo.
The MTO’s search for an Assistant Deputy Minister, Commercial Transportation Safety and Enforcement, is a promising sign. Similarly, the CCMTA’s hiring of a Data Administration and Compliance Manager indicates that the long-standing issue of enforcement data transfer are finally being addressed. By mid-year, we may see serious discussions among these organizations about tackling industry challenges, including driver training school compliance and road safety.
This year will mark a shift in enforcement practices. The Alberta Sherriffs and Saskatchewan Marshalls are investing in new enforcement personnel. Alberta will have full trained 240 officers in commercial vehicle inspections by February. Weigh stations will be fully staffed, and temporary scales will see more blitzes. Enhanced patrols at US ports of entry and southern highways will further emphasize compliance.
Insurance companies will begin to leverage data from Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs), in-cab cameras and Engine Control Modules (ECMs) to assess liability in accidents. By fall, compliance will no longer be optional—carriers with poor safety records will face mounting consequences, from tickets, increased insurance premiums to audits.
In August 2024, the CCMTA introduced draft revisions to ELD technical standards (version 1.3). Two key changes stand out:
While these updates address critical issues, the process of implementation will be lengthy. ELD providers must program their devices to meet the new standards, undergo testing, and achieve re-certification—a process that could take years. I predict in 2025 there will still be no interpretation guide or ELD monitoring policy from Alberta Transportation Compliance and Oversight but, administrative penalties to carriers will continue to be written for failing to monitor drivers ELDs.
The federal government’s tightening of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) and Permanent Residency (PR) criteria this spring aims to control immigration. However, these changes won’t solve the immediate problem of untrained and inexperienced drivers. Canada needs a balanced approach that supports the drivers already in the system.
Instead of punishing drivers who were brought here through flawed programs, we should offer them legitimate MELT training, Driver Red Seal training and pathways to PR if they meet the other requirements. Enforcement efforts should focus on holding exploitative immigration brokers, driving schools, and trucking companies accountable. Government is sending mixed signals with regards to commercial drivers. Saskatchewan has a class 1 driver recruitment program that allows drivers from certain countries to drive on the class 1 licence of their home country in the agricultural sector. This is government talking out of both sides of its face, removing drivers and restricting immigration on one side but recruiting for drivers in the agriculture sector on the other side. Nothing is going to happen this year and expect the status quo for a couple of years.
Real progress in 2025 requires cooperation between federal ministries, provincial regulators, industry groups, and stakeholders. Leadership at every level must work collaboratively to develop a clear plan for reform. Change won’t happen overnight, but figuring out who is in charge is a first step. We are all in this together and we need accountability from our elected leadership for a safer and more efficient commercial transportation industry.
