GREENWOOD, Neb. -- The Nebraska State Patrol stopped a truck driver who only speaks Russian, and told him he can go no further until he learns the language, Omaha TV station KETV reported.
"Sir, I need your papers. I need your papers. All of your papers. Log book, registration, yes," a trooper said during a truck safety stop operation near Greenwood.
The trucker had all his documents in order and a valid commercial driver's license, but he couldn't communicate with state troopers. Under the law, troopers were forced to make the driver park his truck and take him out of service.
They talked to his boss on the phone.
"You need to tell your driver he is out of service until he can understand English," Trooper Jeremy Radford told the boss over the telephone.
The driver was still obviously confused and tried to drive away.
Troopers said they are having more and more problems with language barriers.
Federal regulations said that commercial drivers should be able to read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public. But 17 states and the District of Columbia offer the commercial driver's license test in foreign languages.
Nance Harris of the Nebraska Trucking Association said there's a reason some trucking companies are hiring professional drivers from out of the country.
"Current estimates are that we have a shortage of about 30,000 drivers," Harris said. "It isn't a question of them not understanding the trucking industry or safe driving. They simply need some time to be more conversant in English."
Troopers said the citation has entirely to do with safety because commercial drivers need to be able to read all signs and traffic warnings, especially driving a rig that weighs about 80,000 pounds.
The trucker was stranded at the weigh station until he could find a ride, or for someone from his company to come pick him up along with his truck. Troopers said they will help him do that, but said some drivers have waited at the weigh station for as long as three days for someone to come get them.
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