“After the stepped-up enforcement, more than 10,700 drivers… failed English tests, losing the right to drive.” 
“That compares to just a handful each year between 2021 and 2024.” 
“Roughly 72% of freight in the U.S.… is moved along America’s highways.” 
“Truck driving is an unappealing profession for many Americans but… an attractive opportunity for recent immigrants.” 
“Everyone’s afraid.” 
Cut drivers → tighten freight → prices move.
That's a small share of total truck drivers, isn't it?
Yes, WSJ says ~200k non-domiciled immigrant CDL holders are “more than 5%” of all CDLs. But the story’s main point is the step-change: “just a handful” failed annually (2021–2024) vs “more than 10,700” after stepped-up English enforcement.
I agree, but unless there's another step-change the effect should be minor.
Members leave trucking → capacity tightens → routes go unfilled.
Yes, but magnitudes matter. It takes a lot to move market prices over a large area.
Agreed on magnitude. The article is pointing to early signals: routes hard to fill, drivers harder to find, networks shrinking.
So prices are a good reason to compromise on safety standards?
How about English proficiency?
So, you're saying you prefer to have lower standards on English proficiency for drivers, as long as it means lower priced freight.
So no, I don’t want higher freight prices unless there’s demonstrated safety benefit proportional to removing 10,700 drivers.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-TD2_300-PURL-gpo13971/pdf/GOVPUB-TD2_300-PURL-gpo13971.pdf
doesn’t establish language as the cause