Missouri law now mandates English-only CDL tests

Aspiring truck drivers in Missouri now must prove they have a firm grasp of the English language to obtain a commercial driver’s license. The new rule took effect Thursday, Aug. 28.

Signed into law this spring, it requires the state’s written CDL test to be offered only in English. Applicants will also be required to have the ability to understand traffic signs and signals written in English. They will be prohibited from using interpreters while taking the test.

Advocates for the protection said the change is necessary because of concerns that people are allowed to drive trucks on Missouri roads without a command of the English language. They point out that federal regulations require applicants to be able to “read and speak the English language sufficientlyâ€