FMCSA blocks California’s safety funding for commercial vehicles over English proficiency crackdown

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is withholding over $40 million of California’s motor carrier safety grant funding, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced.

The funding block is the result of conflict between California and the Department of Transportation (DOT) over FMCSA’s English language proficiency (ELP) crackdown. Secretary Duffy had threatened to withhold funding from states that did not issue enough out-of-service violations for drivers lacking ELP.

FMCSA said it is blocking $40,685,225 of Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) grant funding.

MCSAP is FMCSA’s largest grant program. It provides significant funding to states’ commercial vehicle safety programs, including roadside inspections, traffic enforcement, safety audits, and more.

California tends to receive the greatest MCSAP funding of any state. FMCSA’s MCSAP funding for FY2025 issued $31.4 million to California. For FY2026, the state is on track to receive $31.7 million in federal MCSAP funding.

“I put states on notice this summer: Enforce the Trump Administration’s English language requirements or the checks stop coming. California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement,” Duffy said.

California, federal government fight over commercial vehicle regulations

The MCSAP funding block over ELP requirements is the latest in a protracted conflict between California and federal regulators over commercial vehicle regulations:

• FMCSA suspended California’s CDL program in late September, alleging that the state improperly issued non-domiciled CDLs.
• Federal lawmakers and Trump in June chose to revoke California’s emissions regulation waivers.
• The Department of Justice has issued cease-and-desist letters, ordering truck manufacturers to exit California’s Clean Truck Partnership.