News You Can Use

Mandatory English Proficiency Enforcement Begins: Starting June 25, 2025, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), in line with a Presidential Executive Order, will begin enforcing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) English language proficiency (ELP) requirements. This means that commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers who cannot read and speak English sufficiently to communicate with safety officials, understand highway signs, respond to inquiries, and complete reports will be placed out-of-service. The FMCSA is expected to issue guidance for inspectors to ensure consistent nationwide enforcement. This is a reversal of a 2016 memo that eased enforcement on ELP violations.​

ELD Rule Extension Ends for Pre-2000 Engines: The final extension for the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate for commercial vehicles with pre-2000 engines expires in June 2025. After this deadline, all commercial vehicles, regardless of engine age, will be required to use compliant ELDs. Paper logs will no long er be an acceptable alternative, and enforcement for non-compliance is expected to increase.

Updated Physical Qualification Standards for Drivers with Epilepsy: New FMCSA regulations regarding the physical qualifications for drivers with epilepsy or seizure disorders take effect in June 2025. These revised standards will include specific requirements for medical documentation, seizure-free periods under medical supervision, regular neurological evaluations, and ongoing monitoring protocols.

Transition to USDOT Numbers: The FMCSA is continuing its transition to using USDOT numbers as the primary identifier for carriers, phasing out MC (Motor Carrier) numbers. While the complete transition is scheduled for October 1, 2025, June will likely see further communication and preparation for this change. Carriers and drivers should ensure their registration processes are updated and free of discrepancies.