New Trucking Bill Mandates English-Only CDL Tests and 1-Year Driver Experience Rule

The newly proposed Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act of 2025 is looking to shake up how people get their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), which is a big deal for anyone thinking about driving trucks, buses, or heavy equipment. This bill introduces two major requirements: mandatory English-only testing and a new minimum experience period for all CDL applicants.

The Language Barrier: English-Only Testing

Under Section 3, the bill mandates that all tests required for obtaining or renewing a CDL—including the knowledge test and any practical assessments given during entry-level driver training—must be administered exclusively in English. The Secretary of Transportation has 180 days to implement this rule. For someone who is a native English speaker, this might sound like a simple standardization. But for the massive number of qualified, non-native English speakers who currently work or want to work in the trucking industry, this is a significant roadblock. This provision cuts off access to a vital career path for many people who might be perfectly capable of driving safely but struggle with the nuances of a standardized test in a second language. If you are a skilled mechanic from another country looking to get your CDL to drive locally, this bill effectively tells you to learn advanced English first, even if you can perform the job itself.

The One-Year Rule: Waiting to Drive

Section 4 introduces a mandatory experience requirement: you cannot obtain a CDL unless you have held a regular driver’s license for at least one full year beforehand. This is a clear attempt to ensure new commercial drivers have some baseline experience behind the wheel before they start operating 80,000-pound vehicles. While the intent is likely safety, the practical effect is a delay in employment. For a young person or someone switching careers who needs to start earning a commercial wage immediately, this one-year waiting period is a major economic hurdle. If you just finished trade school and were hoping to get your CDL right away to start a high-paying job, you now have to wait 12 months. Importantly, if you already have your CDL when this law takes effect, you are grandfathered in and don’t need to worry about the new waiting period.

Federal Power Play Over State Licenses

The final piece, Section 5, gives the Secretary of Transportation increased power over state licensing agencies. The Secretary can now revoke a state’s authority to issue “non-domiciled” CDLs or Commercial Learner’s Permits (CLPs)—licenses issued to people who don't live in that state—if the state fails to comply with all federal rules, including the new ones in this Act. This is about tightening federal oversight, particularly for licenses issued to out-of-state drivers, which has been a point of concern regarding fraud and inconsistent standards. While increased federal oversight can lead to safer roads and better standardization, it also means states lose control over a specific part of their licensing function and must rapidly adjust their processes to avoid having their authority pulled.