Dozens Of Mexican Truck Drivers Learn English To Meet Trump's Standards

JAKARTA - Mexican truck drivers in the border town of Ciudad Badminton began learning English as an effort to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order requiring commercial drivers in the US to meet English-language proficiency standards.

About 50 drivers carrying back and forth goods between Ciudadmen and El Paso, just across the border in Texas, followed English classes for four to eight hours a week organized by their company, Fletes Sotelo, to meet US standards.

The owner of the company, Manuel Sotelo, said the classes started about six weeks ago.

The goal is for all company drivers to master basic English. Sotelo is also the president of the Ciudad transportation association.

Jose Murguia, one of the drivers, considers these classes a good opportunity, especially given the recent executive order.

"It is important to master the language, at least in terms of what is needed for our work, namely transporting goods to El Paso," he said.

Although the English standard for truck drivers has long been in effect in the US, Trump's executive order in April scrapped 2016 guidelines stating inspectors should not lay off commercial drivers if their only breach is a lack of English language skills.

The order comes following Trump's executive order in March requiring English as the official United States language.

The executive order has been criticized as discriminatory because millions of Americans speak languages other than, or in addition, English.