A report published last week on social media by American Truckers United shows that Texas companies lead the nation in employing drivers who are not proficient in reading and understanding English. Recent crashes, including a multi-fatality crash in the state’s capital city earlier this year, raised the issue to the forefront.
“Texas is largely responsible for the truck drivers that don’t speak English on America’s roadways,” American Truckers United posted on social media on Friday. “They are predominantly originating from the state of Texas.”
According to the graph posted by the group showing the number of drivers put out of service for failing to meet English Proficiency Standards, Texas is not even close to second-place Illinois. The graph shows nearly 800 out-of-service orders issued to Texas drivers due to a lack of proficiency in the English language. Illinois follows with fewer than 350. California, Florida, and Ohio round out the top five.
“The trucking industry in Texas is prioritizing cheap labor by favoring non-citizens over American citizens, compromising safety nationwide,” American Truckers United Spokesman Shannon Everett told Breitbart Texas on Monday. “What starts as a Texas issue becomes a national crisis when drivers from these companies—failing English proficiency standards—are exported across America, demanding urgent intervention.”
In a Breitbart News exclusive by Nick Gilbertson, the White House revealed that President Donald Trump would sign an executive order ensuring that truckers would be adept at speaking English.
“President Trump believes that English is a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers, as they should be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with traffic safety officers, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station personnel, and provide and receive feedback and directions in English,” the document provided to Breitbart News revealed.