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-Land of the Free
English Checks Have Begun ‼️ Truck driver in Arkansas at a weigh station-If you can't Read English-You Shouldn't Drive A Big Rig
2025-03-17
[X]
… in handcuffs that had been pulled in. I was like, what's going on? He goes, we've come across now that if you cannot read or write in English, that it's a $5,000 fine.

And if you have a company in Arkansas that employs people that can't read or write in English, it's a $10,000 fine paid on the spot.

If you cannot pay it, you're automatically arrested and lose your license”

We need this in EVERY state!!
Posted by:NoMoreBS

#12  Saw a deal the other week concerning the pile-ups on I-80 during winter weather. Driver asked Highway Patrolman what was up, and HiPo quipped something like, "The truck operators are going off the road and sliding into vehicles...may have probably never really drove in winter conditions until recently.", the implication being a lot of CDLs have gone to people from more equatorial climates and lack Winter driving experience and have lower CDL expectations.

IIUC, one of the most important pieces of equipment for a trucker is the CB Radio to communicate current driving conditions and accidents. Without a working knowledge of English, CB alerts such as dust/brown out conditions aren't understood which adds a truck into a pileup. "Hey everyone, Pork Chop Express here, road's getting lousy suggest right lane convoy at 60 mph, I'll bird dog the lead and give read outs." "Roger" "10-4 good buddy" "Que?!"
Posted by: swksvolFF   2025-03-17 19:04  

#11  Many years ago Mr. Wife was rear-ended during a bad snowstorm in Cincinnati — where the natives have absolutely no idea how to drive when there is snow on the road — by a delivery truck driver who could not read. He was perfectly able to speak English, his family having been citizens since the 14th Amendment, but was completely illiterate thanks to the Cincinnati Public School system. He must have cheated somehow to get his license to drive.
Posted by: trailing wife   2025-03-17 18:33  

#10  ...At least weekly, I meet a driver who has serious difficulty with English, and I have met some who speak no English at all.

I am fine with English checks. I have no problems with good people trying to earn a living, but do it by the goddamned rules.

Mike
Posted by: MikeKozlowski   2025-03-17 17:41  

#9  ^ European Tour 1939-45?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2025-03-17 16:16  

#8  ^ Does playing Panzer General count?
Posted by: SteveS   2025-03-17 13:34  

#7  I'm qualified to drive in Europe: I've played Mille Bornes
Posted by: Frank G   2025-03-17 13:18  

#6  Not just the signage is in english, the safety, hazmat, and emergency stuff is all in english.
As to european drivers having to deal with 120 languages, that would seem to be an issue for europeans to deal with. None of my business.
Posted by: ed in texas   2025-03-17 13:12  

#5  Is actual reading - in any language - actually required for CDL? Signs seem to mostly be standardized pictures and numbers.
Posted by: Glenmore   2025-03-17 12:47  

#4  European truck drivers would have to speak at least 20 languages

Just use Esperanto! Everyone there speaks that, right?
Posted by: SteveS   2025-03-17 12:43  

#3  But traffic signage has been standardized by the EU, nicht wahr?
Posted by: Bobby   2025-03-17 12:22  

#2  European truck drivers would have to speak at least 20 languages, if such a law was enacted in Europe.
Posted by: European Conservative   2025-03-17 12:15  

#1  This seems reasonable. The highway signs are in english.
Posted by: ed in texas   2025-03-17 11:27  

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