Newsmax reports: "Trump Rule Sidelines 6,000 Truckers Over English Tests." The article notes that the enforcement is "anchored in the federal regulation 49 C.F.R. § 391.11(b)(2), which has long required commercial drivers to 'speak and read the English language sufficiently' to converse with the public, understand highway signage, respond to official inquiries, and complete reports." What's new, however, is that the Trump administration is actually enforcing the law--"beginning June 25, English violations were formally added to the North American Out-of-Service Criteria used by inspectors"--which is causing severe butt hurt among trucking companies and certain blue states, including California:
In an escalation of the policy dispute, the U.S. Transportation Department announced it will withhold more than $40 million in federal highway and safety grants from California, accusing the state of failing to enforce the new English standard. Additional funds, up to $160 million, are being threatened for continued noncompliance.
Washington and New Mexico have also received warnings that they could see highway funds withheld.
Stop all the funding.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the (mono-lingual) Hindi speakers that get upset when they're asked not to sit at the emergency exit row on an airplane.
ReplyDelete