Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Oct. 24, 2025:
- Washington state officials provide a timeline for when the westbound I-90 lanes could reopen.
- Here's what new proposed legislation would require for drivers to obtain or renew a CDL.
- A truck driver has been charged for his role in a crash that killed 8 in Georgia.
I-90 shut down after oversize load bridge strike
The westbound lanes of Interstate 90 near Cle Elum, Washington, are closed indefinitely after an over-height load struck the Bullfrog Road overpass on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
On Thursday, Oct. 23, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson issued an emergency declaration in Kittitas County as a result of the damage, which allows the state to seek federal funds and to expedite emergency contracting.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) bridge engineers were on site inspecting the damage on Wednesday, Oct. 22. They determined the damaged portion of the overpass was not repairable and must be demolished. WSDOT hired an emergency contractor, Scarsella Bros, Inc., to remove the overpass portion over WB I-90, allowing it to reopen to traffic until construction began on a replacement overpass. The overpass over the EB I-90 lanes is unaffected.
Demolition began Thursday night, Oct. 23. During the demolition, travelers will continue to detour using the WB off- and on-ramps at Exit 80. An EB lane of I-90 will be closed during the demolition starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 until 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25. Weather permitting, demolition will be complete, and the westbound lanes of I-90 will reopen to traffic, by early next week.
New English proficiency legislation would require test to obtain, renew CDLs
Yet another piece of legislation has been introduced in Congress that hopes to ensure truck drivers are proficient in English.
It’s the latest in what’s becoming a long line of bills that are all looking to accomplish the same goal -- English language proficiency for truck drivers -- with slightly different approaches to reach that goal.
This latest bill, the Standardized Assessment for Fluency in English for Drivers Act (SAFE Drivers Act), was introduced by Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-North Carolina) with original cosponsors Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Rep. Bob Onder (R-Missouri).
The legislation would require the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to develop a uniform English proficiency test to be administered during CDL issuance and renewal in every state. The test would assess a driver’s ability to read road signs, understand spoken instructions, and complete written reports. Under a provision of the bill, the Secretary of Transportation would be allowed to withhold federal highway funds from states that fail to comply.
"If you can't read 'Bridge Out Ahead' or communicate with a state trooper at a crash scene, you have no business driving an 80,000-pound truck on American highways," Harrigan said. "We have federal rules that require English proficiency, but no standardized test to enforce them, so states like California hand out commercial licenses to drivers who can't understand basic safety instructions. The SAFE Drivers Act fixes that by requiring one uniform English test nationwide before any CDL is issued. No more guesswork, no more state-by-state loopholes, just one standard that keeps Americans safe."
The American Trucking Associations has offered its support of the bill, while the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has raised concern over requiring the proficiency test for CDL renewals.
The SAFE Drivers Act has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
[Related: ELP violators do worse at inspections, safety scores: Study]
Truck driver faces litany of charges after fatal crash
A Georgia-based truck driver has been charged for his role in a fatal chain-reaction crash on I-85 that took place on Oct. 13.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety said that on Oct. 13 at approximately 4:11 p.m., Georgia State Patrol troopers responded to a six-vehicle crash in Commerce, Georgia.
An investigation into the crash found that a tractor-trailer, driven by 33-year-old Kane Aaron Hammock of Gainesville, Georgia, “was following too closely and struck the rear of a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. This caused a chain reaction involving the van and four additional vehicles. After impact, the Dodge van became engulfed in flames along with the tractor-trailer.”
Jeff Rogers, Jackson County Deputy Coroner, confirmed there were eight occupants -- three adults and five children -- deceased in the van. Georgia DPS added that “there is a possibility of one adult being pregnant, but this will not be confirmed until an autopsy has been completed.”
Hammock was arrested and charged with:
- Eight counts of Vehicular Homicide (2nd degree)
- One count of Feticide by Vehicle (2nd degree)
- One count of Following Too Closely
- One count of No Registration
- One count of Driver to Exercise Due Care
Local news reports indicate Hammock was released from jail on bond.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened a safety investigation into the fatal crash in coordination with the Georgia State Patrol.
