A newcomer to Roadcheck driver violations top 5: speaking English
Recent data from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Association shows language proficiency has entered the top five reasons for removing commercial drivers from service.
According to FreightWaves, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Association recently published the findings from its 2026 International Roadcheck, highlighting significant shifts in driver compliance. For the first time, the inability to demonstrate English proficiency appeared as a top five driver violation. Inspectors removed 361 drivers from service for this specific infraction, representing roughly nine percent of all driver-related out-of-service orders issued during the inspection period across the United States and Canada.
This surge in language-related enforcement follows an executive order issued in April 2025 that emphasized existing federal regulations. In the previous year, English proficiency did not rank among the primary reasons for driver disqualifications. Other notable changes in the rankings included a sharp rise in violations for missing medical cards, which more than doubled to become the most frequent cause for placing drivers out of service, surpassing hours-of-service infractions.
While driver-related data showed volatility, vehicle safety statistics remained largely consistent with previous years. Mechanical issues like brake systems and tire problems continued to dominate the list of vehicle-related out-of-service orders. Despite a specific focus on cargo securement during this year's initiative, the number of violations in that category stayed nearly flat compared to the 2025 results, and the total number of safety decals awarded to compliant vehicles saw a slight increase.
Editorial Desk — Trade Flow Insight. Reporting and market notes compiled by the Trade Flow Insight editorial team.
Related coverage
FMCSA’s Elison addresses Motus again, still no date on full repair
Chattanooga–It hasn’t been that long–less than a month–since Jesse Elison spoke to an industry event and addressed the issue of the beleaguered new Motus registration system. The deputy administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) spoke Monday at FreightWaves’ Broker Compliance Symposium, one of two one-day sessions that serve as a prelude to the larger Future of Freight Festival here that begins Tuesday The biggest news in his presentation was really no news: after saying at the National Motor Freight Traffic Association in early October that FMCSA was “weeks away”
Mexican truckers launch national strike over highway security, rising costs
Mexican trucking companies launched an indefinite nationwide strike Monday protesting highway insecurity, cargo theft, extortion and rising operating costs, with demonstrations planned in major freight hubs along the U.S.-Mexico border. The strike, organized by the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (CANACAR) and other trucking organizations, calls for demonstrations across Mexico, including Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Monterrey, Tijuana and Mexico City. The protests could disrupt freight transportation through some of North America’s busiest commercial corridors, particularly in Nuevo Lare
Trump Administration Unveils Seafood Strategy to Boost U.S. Fishing Fleet and Domestic Production
The Trump administration on Friday unveiled its America First Seafood Strategy, outlining plans to strengthen the U.S. commercial fishing industry through regulatory reform, investment in fishing vessels and shoreside infrastructure,...