The Department of Transportation said on Wednesday it is withholding over $40 million in federal highway safety funds from California due to the state's failure to enforce English proficiency rules for commercial truck drivers.
Duffy Slams California’s Non-Compliance
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated, “California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement.”
Duffy called it a “fundamental safety issue” and added, “California Gov. Gavin Newsom's insistence on obstructing federal law has tied my hands.”
Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom, told The Hill that commercial truck drivers in California experience a crash rate below the national average.
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Trump Administration Continues Withholding Funds From California
The decision to withhold funds from California is a continuation of the Trump administration’s policies. In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring commercial truck drivers to demonstrate English language proficiency.
In August, the Trump administration also threatened to cut $46 million in federal funding to trucking industries in states including California, New Mexico, and Washington, citing violations of English language rules for commercial drivers and giving a 30-day deadline.
Also, in August, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration would halt all new visas issued to foreign truck drivers in the U.S. following a fatal Florida crash that resulted in the loss of three lives. Rubio warned that more foreign drivers on U.S. roads threaten American lives and harm American truckers’ livelihoods.
This is not the first time California has lost federal funding. In September, the Trump administration cut $2.4 billion from California's high-speed rail project, redirecting it to a $5 billion national passenger rail program.
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