Dive Brief:
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is withholding $40.7 million in funding to California after the state failed to implement English language proficiency, the U.S. Department of Transportation said Wednesday.
- The federal government warned California this summer to make adjustments to comply with new federal policy from this year regarding ELP. The money involved is part of the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, which covers roadside inspections, traffic enforcement, safety audits of trucking companies and public education campaigns, the DOT noted.
- “[N]o expenses incurred after October 15, 2025, and vouchered for reimbursement from FY24 or FY25 MCSAP funding will be approved and paid” until the state adopts and actively enforces a measure that involves carrying out roadside inspections and out-of-service violations in relation to the federal policy, the DOT said.
Dive Insight:
The federal government notified California, New Mexico and Washington about the issue in August, saying commercial drivers need to read and speak English sufficiently or be placed out of service.
“California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement,” DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday.
During a September press conference, FMCSA Chief Counsel Jesse Elison said all of those states responded to notice letters and that the government was reviewing those responses.
States were also warned during the press conference about complying with a new immigration identification protocol for issuing CDLs or that they would face progressively higher levels of funding freezes. The DOT also gave a 30-day window for California to respond.
California officials were reviewing the announcement Wednesday but didn’t immediately answer questions about how the state plans to proceed.
