President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) on April 28 directing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to strengthen its enforcement of truck driver English proficiency regulations.
“Proficiency in English, which I designated as our official national language … should be a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers,” the president said in his EO. Drivers should be able to read and understand road signs and communicate with traffic safety, border patrol, agricultural checkpoint, and cargo weight-limit station officers, according to the EO. Drivers also should be able to provide feedback to their employers and customers and receive instructions in English.
The EO directs the FMCSA to rescind a June 2016 guidance document (English Language Proficiency Testing and Enforcement Policy (MC-ECE-2016-006)) and issue a new enforcement policy within 60 days.
The order also directs the FMCSA to review all non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) issued by state agencies and identify unusual patterns, numbers, or irregularities with non-domiciled CDL issuance. It also directed the secretary of Transportation to identify and carry out administrative and regulatory action to “improve the working conditions of America’s truck drivers.”
“Federal law is clear, a driver who cannot sufficiently read or speak English—our national language—and understand road signs is unqualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in America,” Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in an agency statement. “This Department will always put America’s truck drivers first.”
MIOSHA celebrates its 50th anniversary
The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) issued a statement on April 28 to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
“For 50 years, MIOSHA has worked side by side with businesses and workers to keep people safe,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) said in the statement. “By going above and beyond to protect our workers, MIOSHA ensures that everyone can go home at the end of the day while helping our businesses continue to thrive.”
Michigan is one of 22 states with a safety and health program approved by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), covering both private and public sector workers. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, state programs must be “at least as effective” as the federal program.
MIOSHA’s statement also included a list of its key achievements:
- Helping reduce workplace fatalities: Fatalities have dropped 65%, and injury and illness rates have fallen 66% since the 1970s.
- Advancing worker health and safety: MIOSHA’s consultative services have helped thousands of businesses proactively address workplace hazards.
- State emphasis programs: Emphasis programs have addressed serious risks like excavation safety, fall hazards, heat exposure, and silica.
- Training and education: Since 2007, the MIOSHA Training Institute (MTI) has provided affordable, high-quality courses to more than 35,000 workers and employers.
- Grants for safer workplaces: MIOSHA has awarded more than $12 million in grant funding to small and midsize employers to expand access to training and safety equipment.
- Cooperative programs: Partnerships like the MIOSHA Alliance Program, the Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP), and the Michigan Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (MSHARP) have strengthened workplace safety cultures statewide.