Drivers won’t be placed OOS in border zones over English proficiency

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Truck drivers stopped within designated U.S. border zones will not be placed out-of-service for failing to meet English language proficiency (ELP) standards, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said.

These zones are between three and 20 miles from the U.S. border, depending on the specific municipality, FMCSA said in guidance issued on Feb. 3. The agency said inspectors should cite the violation but allow the truck driver to continue. 

Trucks await inspection at a U.S. border entry point. (Photo: iStock)

The guidance comes as the 2026 fiscal spending law signed by President Trump included a provision requiring FMCSA to update regulations to place commercial drivers out of service if they are unable to speak and read English sufficiently. 

Besides the border areas, FMCSA said the Texas city of El Paso, the Texas counties of Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy, and New Mexico commercial zones should also be considered part of the U.S.-Mexico border area. 

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