PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday, reinforcing an already existing federal law requiring all commercial truck drivers to be proficient in English.
It's part of the Trump administration's efforts to make English "The Official Language" of the U.S. while giving teeth to a law that the president contends "has not been enforced in years."
"This is common sense," the order says.
WATCH BELOW: What truckers are saying about new order regarding English-language rules
Carlos Portela goes through his safety checklist before getting behind the wheel of his rig. He has 30 years in the trucking industry as a driver and dispatcher at Centerport Inc. near West Palm Beach.
"We handle everything from small packages that deliver from Amazon to heavy, heavy-duty freight," Portela said.
He said there's a lot to know when it comes to trucking and that it's a lot more than just reading the road signs.
WPTV asked him about the president's executive order that requires all truck drivers to know English.
"This has always been the rule, that's the funny thing," Portella said. "They're now just enforcing it? They're now maybe just not turning a blind eye to it?"
He agrees that it's common sense to follow that rule.
"What about paperwork? What about hazardous materials? The driver needs to know what he’s signing for, what he's reading," Portela said.
On its website, the state division of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles says knowledge tests can be taken in multiple languages, including English and Spanish, except for hazardous materials tests. In addition, any skills tests must be taken in English.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said there are more than 100,000 truckers employed in Florida.
"We have to know what's ahead of us at all times," Portela said. "When you're driving an 80,000-pound vehicle, it's important."
