Senator Ashley Moody and Representative Greg Steube, both Florida Republicans, are fighting to protect drivers on roadways with the Safer Truckers Act. This bill would create lawful U.S. residency requirements for the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and establish reporting requirements for the adherence of English proficiency standards with penalties for states that fail to meet said standards.
The Safer Truckers Act establishes two new requirements to existing federal standards for issuance of commercial driver’s licenses. First, CDLs may only be issued to U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents, and individuals with a valid work visa. Second, states are required to provide accurate reporting to the federal government on the effectiveness of their English proficiency requirements for individuals applying for a CDL. Should a state fail to meet this new requirement, the Department of Transportation may revoke said state’s eligibility for federal highway funds.
“Getting behind the wheel of a car can be one of the most dangerous things Floridians do every day—and we must do all we can to make sure our roads are as safe as possible,” said Republican Senator Ashley Moody. “That is why I’m fighting to pass my Safer Truckers Act. We’ve seen across the country how reckless sanctuary policies allowing illegal aliens to operate commercial trucks can be deadly and endanger other motorists. The time for action is now, and I want to thank Congressman Steube for joining me today to get this legislation across the finish line.”
“Commercial truck drivers bear an enormous responsibility in keeping our roadways safe for commuters,” said Florida Rep. Greg Steube. “If you are unable to comprehend the rules and signs of the road, you have no business behind the steering wheel of a truck. My Safer Truckers Act will ensure our highways and streets are safe for drivers and commercial truckers, free from dangerous and incompetent individuals.”
Senator Moody’s legislation adds two additional requirements to the minimal standards that are administered by the federal government to states for CDL issuance. Compliance on these additional standards would directly impact the federal funds the states receive from the Department of Transportation.
- The first requirement ensures that CDLs are only awarded to U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or a holder of a valid work visa.
- The second requirement requires states to report to the federal government on their efforts to uphold the English proficiency requirements. President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the relevant agencies to focus on enforcing those provisions.
Failure to adhere to these two provisions would jeopardize a state’s eligibility funding and becomes the mechanism by which the federal government can force compliance from sanctuary states like California and Washington.
The proposed legislation comes following the tragic deaths caused by an illegal immigrant truck driver in Florida. On August 12th, Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike, causing a fatal accident that took the lives of three. According to the DOT, the truck driver, who was granted a CDL by California and Washington, provided correct responses to only two of 12 verbal questions and was only able to identify one of four traffic signs correctly on his English Language Proficiency test.
The legislation requires lawful U.S. residency for those seeking Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDLs), and states to report adherence of English proficiency standards to ensure drivers can read road warnings and signs when operating an 18-wheeler. Failure to do both would result in the loss of federal funding.
Read full bill text online.
Along with the Safer Truckers Act, Representative Steube joined with Senator Roger Marshall to introduce the Commercial Motor Vehicle English Proficiency Act. This bill would require all commercial learner’s permit (CLP) tests to be administered in English, reinforcing President Trump’s executive order of April 28, 2025, concerning English-language proficiency requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers.
