The US administration Monday announced an emergency executive shutdown of 110 driving schools that accounted for 5,000 violations for English proficiency. Department of Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said a driver in the US has to know English, and neither he nor President Donald Trump created this rule. Another 160 schools will be closed because they lack proper space for driving tests or have unlicensed instructors.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration chief Derek Barrs said each of the 110 "greatest offenders" passed at least 10 drivers who were "subsequently cited for English language proficiency during roadside inspections by law enforcement."
"It's unacceptable. When you see people die on the road you don't forget that, and it starts right here with what I'm talking about," Barrs said. "Our investigators went into 400 driver training schools and we found that 40% of these that we investigated did not meet the rules and the requirements of our regulations," he added.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said illegal immigrants with CDLs have been a major factor in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration and ICE found over 100 individuals who had been granted CDLs, "and literally on the CDLs it said, ‘No name given.'"
"These individuals are dangerous, and because of the failure from the previous administration, from the Biden administration, they've killed hundreds of people. And unfortunately, injured thousands," Mullin said.
Blaming the Biden administration for putting people who can't read road signs on the road, Mullin said he got his CDL when he was 21 years old, he studied for it, and in the exam, he explained the components of the truck before giving a long road test. "My grandfather drove a truck when he came back from World War II. It's a proud industry with proud people that take a lot of pride in what they do," Mullin said.
