FMCSA published the proposed rule on Aug. 10, seeking to formally incorporate the out-of-service consequence into the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. The agency said the change would create a consistent national enforcement standard for a driver qualification requirement that has existed for decades.

The proposal is open for public comment through Oct. 9.

Proposal Would Standardize Enforcement

Federal regulations already require commercial drivers operating in interstate commerce to read and speak English sufficiently to converse with the public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, respond to official inquiries and complete reports and records.

According to FMCSA, the proposal would not create a new qualification standard. Instead, it would establish a uniform enforcement mechanism by allowing drivers who do not meet the English language proficiency requirement to be placed out of service during roadside inspections.

The agency said the change is intended to eliminate inconsistencies in how the existing requirement is enforced from one jurisdiction to another.

CVTA Says English Proficiency Is a Safety Issue

In announcing its support, the Commercial Vehicle Training Association said the proposal reinforces a long-standing safety requirement rather than introducing a new obligation for drivers.

The association said commercial drivers must be able to read highway signs, communicate with law enforcement officers during inspections and interact effectively with the public while operating commercial vehicles.

“English proficiency is one of the standards that makes commercial driving a profession, and it is a matter of safety, not politics,” the association said in a statement.

CVTA also noted that English language proficiency has been part of the federal commercial driver qualification standards since 1937.

Training Programs Already Teach the Standard

The association said its member schools already prepare entry-level drivers to meet the federal English language proficiency requirement as part of their training programs.

CVTA said formally placing the out-of-service provision into federal regulations would provide greater consistency for training providers and carriers by ensuring the requirement is applied uniformly across the country.

The organization added that the proposal aligns with the standards already expected of drivers entering interstate commercial trucking.

Public Comment Period Remains Open

CVTA said it plans to submit comments supporting the proposal and encouraged its members to participate in the federal rulemaking process.

FMCSA is accepting public comments on the proposed rule through Oct. 9, 2026, before determining whether to adopt the changes.

The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real-world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road.

Last Updated: August 24, 2026

Source: The Trucker

The post CVTA Backs FMCSA Proposal to Strengthen English Proficiency Enforcement for Truck Drivers appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

The operation included saturation patrols and a temporary inspection site established along rural state highways, where officers and transportation inspectors conducted inspections, traffic enforcement and commercial vehicle weight checks.

According to the New Mexico State Police, the initiative was designed to identify safety violations, remove unsafe vehicles and drivers from service, and ensure commercial motor vehicles operating in the state comply with federal and state safety regulations.

More Than 150 Safety Inspections Conducted

During the enforcement effort, inspectors completed 153 commercial vehicle safety inspections while also conducting 62 traffic enforcement inspections.

As a result of those inspections, authorities placed 20 commercial vehicles out of service and removed seven drivers from service after identifying violations that met federal out-of-service criteria. Vehicles or drivers placed out of service are prohibited from operating until the violations are corrected.

Citations Issued for Equipment and Traffic Violations

Officers issued a total of 62 citations during the operation.

Among those citations were:

• 58 moving violation citations
• Four equipment-related citations

In addition to enforcement activities, inspectors weighed 100 commercial vehicles and identified five overweight trucks operating on New Mexico roadways.

Commercial vehicle weight enforcement helps protect highway infrastructure while ensuring carriers comply with state weight limits and permitting requirements.

Enforcement Remains a Safety Priority

Targeted commercial vehicle enforcement operations are conducted throughout the year by state agencies to identify violations involving vehicle maintenance, driver qualifications, hours-of-service compliance and other safety requirements.

While most inspections end without major violations, vehicles that fail to meet minimum safety standards may be placed out of service until necessary repairs are completed, and drivers found to be operating in violation of federal regulations may also be prohibited from continuing their trip.

Following the operation, the New Mexico State Police reaffirmed its commitment to commercial vehicle safety.

“New Mexico State Police remains committed to keeping New Mexico’s roadways safe through proactive enforcement and ensuring commercial vehicles traveling our state meet required safety standards,” the agency said.

The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real-world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road.

Last Updated: August 21, 2026

Source: Truckers News

The post New Mexico Enforcement Operation Places 20 Commercial Vehicles Out of Service appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

The checkpoint was held on July 30 along Chambers Road just south of Main Street in Douglas County. The operation was conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Colorado State Patrol Monument Port of Entry Mobile Scales.

Inspectors Complete 32 Commercial Vehicle Inspections

Officials stopped 63 commercial trucks during the operation and completed 32 full inspections. By the end of the checkpoint, inspectors had documented 50 violations involving both drivers and commercial vehicles.

Seven drivers were placed out of service, while five commercial vehicles were removed from service until the identified safety violations were corrected.

Enforcement Effort Results in Eight Citations

Authorities issued eight citations during the checkpoint. According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, inspectors identified:

Six Commercial Driver’s License violations
Four seat belt violations
Two drug and alcohol violations
One license suspension
One proof of service served

Officials said the inspection operation focused on identifying unsafe commercial vehicles and ensuring drivers were complying with state and federal safety regulations.

Checkpoints Aim to Improve Roadway Safety

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said commercial vehicle checkpoints are intended to identify safety violations before they contribute to crashes or other roadway incidents.

In a statement following the operation, the agency said, “The goal of these mobile checkpoints is to ensure large trucks on our roads are operating safely and following the law.”

Commercial vehicle enforcement operations are conducted throughout the year by state and local agencies as part of ongoing efforts to improve compliance with safety regulations and promote safer highways for both truck drivers and the traveling public.

The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road.

Last Updated: August 6, 2026

Source: The Trucker

Image Source: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

The post Colorado Inspection Operation Finds 50 Violations During One Day Commercial Vehicle Checkpoint appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

The Southern Illinois Hazardous Materials Detail was conducted June 30 through July 1 along Interstate 55, Interstate 70, and surrounding roadways by the Illinois State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau.

During the two-day operation, troopers completed 488 commercial vehicle inspections, including 195 involving hazardous materials carriers. Inspectors identified 584 violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and another 85 violations of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

Drivers and vehicles found to have violations meeting the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria were removed from service until the issues were corrected.

Hazardous materials enforcement details place additional emphasis on compliance with regulations governing the transportation of regulated cargo, as well as on standard commercial vehicle inspections covering driver qualifications, vehicle condition, and required documentation.

The Illinois State Police regularly conduct commercial vehicle enforcement details throughout the state to identify safety violations and improve compliance with state and federal regulations.

The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real-world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road.

Last Updated: July 13, 2026

Source: Truckers News

The post Illinois Hazmat Enforcement Detail Places 38 Drivers, 61 Commercial Vehicles Out of Service appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

Among the notable updates, Wirachowsky highlighted revisions concerning camshaft bushings in brake systems. While existing OOS criteria often covers braking defects resulting from worn camshaft bushings, the addition of specific language addresses instances where such wear may not manifest in obvious braking issues.

This was the result of “several situations during inspections where a missing bushing was discovered,” she said.

Notably, missing camshaft bushings are now included in the 20% criterion, constituting one defective brake.

“There were at least two incidents where the camshaft bushing was gone altogether, but due to how the camshaft jammed into the spider casting, the brakes weren’t really working but weren’t actually out of adjustment,” she said.

Addressing confusion surrounding the 20% criterion, CVSA introduced a simple yet effective solution: watermarking all relevant pages to distinguish them from general brake regulations.

Another significant addition stemmed from incidents involving trailer balls and mismatched hitches.

“We had a truck turn up at the scales, and I can’t believe the truck was still together,” Wirachowsky said. It was actually a semi pulling doubles, with the second trailer appearing to be connected by nothing more than hope. “The pintle hook on the back of the truck was there,” she said, but instead of the trailer properly coupled to the tractor, it was somehow “jammed underneath the bumper of the truck.”

The criteria now deems coupling a trailer ball marked with its size to an incorrect hitch as a violation, while worn trailer balls lacking size markings are exempt.

In a shift toward practicality, operating lights that are functional but not turned on at night no longer trigger an OOS violation. This decision, following a lengthy debate, accounts for scenarios where inspectors encounter trucks without illuminated lights before initiating inspections.

Regarding auto-inflation systems for tires, the focus remains on pressure loss in the tread area. While a leak in this region is deemed a violation, it won’t result in an OOS status unless pressure significantly drops. Instances where auto-inflation systems maintain pressure within acceptable limits do not lead to OOS designation unless pressure loss exceeds prescribed thresholds.

Looking ahead, increased scrutiny is anticipated for Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (DACH) checks and tractor protection controls during this year’s Roadcheck. Inspectors will also verify hazmat-endorsed drivers’ compliance with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screenings, particularly in states where commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) are valid for more than five years.

These updates reflect CVSA’s commitment to enhancing safety and regulatory clarity within the commercial vehicle industry, balancing practical considerations with stringent enforcement measures.

Source: Overdrive

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