The U.S. Department of Transportation said on October 15, 2025, that it's pulling over $40 million in federal funds from California. The reason: the state isn't following the federal rules that require truck drivers to show they can understand and speak English.
Why it matters: These rules are meant to make sure commercial drivers can read road signs and talk with law enforcement on the road.
- From late June to late August 2025, California did over 34,000 truck inspections with at least one violation. Only one led to a driver being put out of service for not meeting English rules.
- Inspectors even found more than 20 drivers in California with past English violations from other states, but didn't take them off the road.
What's next: California can get the money back if the state sets up and enforces laws matching federal English requirements for truckers. That means inspectors will need to check English skills during every roadside stop.
“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,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
The FMCSA funding in question supports things like roadside inspections, traffic enforcement, and educational programs, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
This action follows a warning given to California, plus Washington and New Mexico, in August 2026 to tighten up on English rule enforcement or face losing federal money.