Dear editor:
As a retired truck driver, I want to tell you folks who criticize Trump's requirements for being knowledgeable in English in order to drive truck: you are wrong.
Truck drivers really do need to be able to deal with English. You need truck drivers to read and understand English.
I'd even venture to say that truck drivers who drive in Mexico need to read and understand Spanish.
English speaking was already established for trucking years ago, and laws written accordingly. That is until Obama came along. Then we started providing interpreters so that foreigners could pass the testing for their drivers licenses.
Don't you, as a motorist, want to be reasonably assured that any truck and driver you meet out on the highway is able to interpret and obey traffic signs?
Of course, the obvious things that they'll likely figure out on their own, given time, are the speed limit signs, the yield and the stop signs. Those are not too difficult.
But, how about the warning signs on mountain highways, directional signs in the city and how about load limits on bridges? Height limit signs? Road restrictions? Weather warnings?
There are a whole lot of signs out there that are very important. Important to everybody.
We're not talking about racial discrimination here. We're talking about the safety of you and your family.
Imagine this: on a Sunday drive, you're halfway down a mountain and you see in your mirror that a semi, with smoke rolling out from his truck, is barreling at an extremely high rate of speed, totally out of brakes, and about to run over and wipe out you and your family.
It's all because the truck driver was improperly or inadequately trained, was inexperienced, and wasn't able to read the warnings and instructions that are usually at the top of a mountain highway.
Do you remember the accident on I-70 a few years ago? How about when the driver needs to handle a truck safety inspection. Then there's the hauling of hazardous materials.
A truck driver is responsible to know something about recognizing hazardous materials, and the rules dealing with them.
How about navigating state scales and ports of entry? Construction areas?
A driver often needs to speak English, understand English, and obey any and all instructions he receives.
Again, Trump is right! You're barking up the wrong tree. We all want truck drivers to speak, read and understand English.
Sincerely,
Carl Dean, Cody
