Federal Register #FMCSA-2026-0826

FMCSA Proposed Rule: English Language Proficiency as Out-of-Service Violation

This notice announces a proposed rulemaking by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regarding English language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers. - Government Buyer: - Department of Transportation (DOT) - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) - Purpose: - Proposes to codify English language proficiency (ELP) as an out-of-service (OOS) violation for commercial drivers - Aligns Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) with the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria issued by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) - Responds to a petition from CVSA - Key Details: - Exception for drivers operating solely within U.S.-Mexico border commercial zones, unless they intend to operate beyond those zones - Seeks to ensure uniform enforcement of ELP requirements - No OEMs, vendors, products, or services are being procured - This is a regulatory notice, not a procurement opportunity

Description

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposes to codify the English language proficiency (ELP) driver qualification requirement as an out-of-service (OOS) violation. This rulemaking aims to ensure uniform enforcement by aligning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) with the current enforcement tolerances in the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria issued by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). The proposal responds to a petition from CVSA and includes an exception for drivers operating within U.S.-Mexico border commercial zones unless they intend to operate beyond those zones. Comments on the proposed rule must be received by October 9, 2026.

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