ARKANSAS English Checks Have Begun, They’re checking ALL trucks

The thing is, is that the regs regarding the language requirement are very vague, just like a bunch of other regulations in that rule book.

For the English language requirement, it says you must speak it "well enough."

What does "well enough" mean?

A1 level? A2? B1? B2?

The hilarious thing is that more than half the people on this forum that are so gung ho about enforcing the English language requirement, will have no clue what the hell I'm talking about when I say A1, A2, B1, etc etc. Because they've never learned a foreign language themselves.

So since there's no set standard for what level of English one has to have, how do you enforce the rule in a way that holds up in a court of law?

Furthermore, if we enforce standards on the English speaking requirements for CDL holders, we need to enforce standards for speaking English on DOT and police officers as well. DOT and police officers should be able to speak with a neutral American accent where everybody can understand them.

This means people with thick southern draws, need to learn how to contain their accent and speak with a neutral accent so that everybody can understand them. If they cannot do so, then they cannot pass the test to become a DOT or police officer who deals with CDL drivers.

 

Its easier to read than the Illinois DOT CDL requirements off their website. Says the same thing, just easier to read.

https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/drivers/drivers_license/CDL/cdl.html

 

Refutation: These enforcement measures will have virtually zero effect on companies. English proficiency-related violations are typically issued to the driver, not the carrier. Drivers will receive the tickets, and the company will simply be notified. They’ll then dispatch another driver (often flown in) to retrieve the truck. Any further repercussions will be handled by the company’s lawyers—usually resulting in a warning and no material consequences.

Regarding recruitment: most European companies maintain over 100 qualified American drivers per truck on file. If pressured, they can immediately activate these backups
Additionally, many European firms source drivers directly from their home countries via temporary work visas. These drivers are legally compliant, and their immigration status remains unaffected.

Operational Insulation:

Driver wages fund equipment maintenance, accident deductibles, and violations.

Companies incur minimal overhead; most costs are passed to drivers through:

"Administrative fees" ($200/week)

"Occupational insurance" ($140/week)

"Damage deposits" ($250/week)

"late fees" ($500/week)

Fines for equipment defects ($1,000+) or tickets ($2,000+) discovered during inspections...and so on.

These deductions are contractually justified under 1099 agreements, often misrepresented as "DOT-required enforcement mechanisms." Meanwhile, actual truck maintenance is typically covered by manufacturers/dealerships under lease agreements.

Immigration Policy Impact:
Trump’s cancellation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for ~500,000 Haitian and other migrant workers will force exits from the industry. Supreme Court allows Trump to revoke temporary legal status of 500,000 immigrants from 4 countries
Green card holders with criminal records may also avoid interstate driving to evade stricter states. This could marginally increase job openings and rates—but not immediately. Effects will likely manifest over 6–12 months.

Conclusion: While workforce attrition may create short-term churn, companies are structurally insulated from enforcement penalties. The core exploitation model—shifting costs to drivers via predatory contracts—remains intact.

 

Drivers should never work for European companies. Beyond the predatory fees, you'll face:

Impossible Expectations: Forced to drive 1,000+ miles daily while companies manipulate ELDs they own and control (DOT-certified systems) to falsify your hours. They'll blame and charges you for violations.

Systematic Payment Theft:

Mileage-based pay? They'll short the odometer.

Percentage pay? They'll hide the real rate con.

They create fake "brokerages" (or partner with friends) to falsify shipment values—you never see true customer payments.

Physical and Financial Exhaustion:

You’ll be too drained for breaks.

They’ll work you until you’re broken, then steal your final paycheck via fabricated "damages" or fees.

Their Playbook:

Claim they’re "industry leaders" with "best practices."

Dismiss every complaint as "standard industry operation."

Justify theft with: "All companies do this."

This is a hardened system—your arguments won’t penetrate it.

The only solution:
✅ Avoid European carriers completely.
✅ Drive for small, American-owned companies.
❌ If already trapped, escape IMMEDIATELY—before they destroy your CDL, health and finances

 

How is some DOT officer going to tell some foreigner, whatever language they speak, he's OOS? DOT doesn't speak all this gibberish out here. Will they have written cards in multiple languages and hand that to the driver? Some random DOT cop isn't going to be speaking Russian, Punjabi, Salami Ham & Cheese.

 

What good is that? Deliveries have scheduled appointment times. You may get lucky and they'll take you early but I can't see that being a common occurrence.

 

There is going to be a ton of stinky, smelly, holes in the floor, fairings missing, cracked hoods, used trucks on the market. The dealerships will have to put some time and money in them just to resell. And that's not even counting what issues the engine/emissions might have going on.

 

There's no uniform lawful protocol of how to deal with this, so I don't see this as a blood bath of impounded trucks and sudden driver shortage. Those hoping to see the exodus of foreign drivers are going to be dissappointed. Even those wearing turbans, flip flops, washing their feet in bathroom sinks, have work permit and many of them speak sufficient for this job English. It is not like they are required to hand write a ten paragraph essey once pulled over for a random inspection. More importantly, English should be clearly defined as a prerequisite to obtain CDL and checked at the CDL examination level. Evidently, there's something amiss right there. Nobody should be able to pass the CDL exam to begin with as it is now.
The enforcement should go ahead at the full swing though resulting in violations and tickets, so at least there's something limiting the influx of cheap labor but that's not the right tool to stop it.