November 19th, 2025
CDL Eligibility Narrowed…

A new piece of legislation, Senate Bill 2690 – the Safer Truckers Act of 2025, has been introduced in the U.S. Senate as part of a broader transportation reform agenda. The bill builds on prior efforts during the Trump administration, including the 2016 directive that strengthened enforcement of the English language proficiency requirement for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders.

Key Provisions of the Bill

The Safer Truckers Act, co-sponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS), James Lankford (OK), and Rick Scott (FL), would make significant changes to CDL eligibility. If enacted, applicants for a CDL would be required to:

  • Be a U.S. citizen,
  • Hold lawful permanent resident status (green card), or
  • Possess a work visa issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) specifically authorizing commercial driving.

In practice, this means that foreign nationals without permanent residency or a specialized CDL-related work visa would no longer be eligible to hold a U.S. commercial driver’s license.

Potential Impact

The legislation could have far-reaching consequences for the transportation industry, particularly for carriers involved in cross-border shipping between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Importantly, the bill contains no grandfather clause or savings provision for foreign drivers who already hold CDLs. Those individuals would likely need to pursue a USCIS-issued CDL work visa to continue driving commercially in the U.S.

English Language Proficiency Reporting

In addition to restricting CDL eligibility, the bill requires states to submit annual reports to the federal government regarding compliance with English language proficiency requirements. This provision reflects a continued emphasis on language standards that align with the Trump administration’s broader transportation reform agenda.

Legislative Status

Senate Bill 2690 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for further consideration. Its progress will be closely watched by stakeholders in the trucking and logistics sectors, as well as by employers who rely on cross-border drivers.

If you have questions about this article, or about the ongoing status of English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements, contact Ryan Keesee (rkeesee@setlifflaw.com) at (804) 377-1268 or Steve Setliff (ssetliff@setlifflaw.com) at (804) 377-1261.

To reference our previous articles on this subject, please click here for May, here and here for September.