If you are a California-based truck driver looking for information about the Sikh Coalition’s lawsuit and/or guidance on renewing your CDL, please click here.
A significant portion of the U.S.-based Sikh population works in the trucking industry, including many drivers. The Sikh Coalition has worked with many Sikh and Punjabi truck drivers in the past who have experienced discrimination from hiring as evidenced by our landmark 2016 settlement with J.B. Hunt to Sikh truckers experiencing discrimination with their articles of faith or even hate crimes.
In 2025, we identified the need for updated resources for Sikh truck drivers after the Trump Administration’s executive order regulating English language proficiency in the industry. We will continue to learn more and update information about ELP as new guidance is issued.
Please note that none of the resources on this page constitute formal legal advice.
HELP LINE
Because policies related to trucking are changing so rapidly, the Sikh Coalition has launched a new Punjabi language trucker helpline. If you or someone you know is a Sikh trucker who has faced discrimination on the basis of your Sikh identity, call our confidential phoneline at 212-287-9169 and leave a message in English or Punjabi.
RESOURCES
Trucker Know Your Rights (Updated July 2026)
This new iteration builds on our previous trucking “Know Your Rights” resource: It still includes information about workplace accommodations and police stops, as well as new material about immigration stops targeting Sikh drivers and the Trump Administration’s new rules around English language proficiency (ELP).
Google Document (Good For Copying and Pasting) English | Punjabi
Community Flyer (Good For Printing and Hanging in Gurdwarae, Truck Stops, Trucking Schools, etc.) English | Punjabi
Know Your Rights Voice Notes (Punjabi)
These voice notes, under a minute long give different snippets of the information from the Know Your Rights documents and can be easily shared via WhatsApp.
Voice Note: New English Language Proficiency Rules 1
Voice Note: New English Language Proficiency Rules 2
Voice Note: Your Rights During A Police Stop
Voice Note: Workplace Accommodations
Voice Note: General Know Your Rights Resource Announcement
Guide to Supporting Truckers in Your Sangat
Informed by discussions with truckers, gurdwara leaders, and Sikh organizers and advocates across the nation, the Sikh Coalition has collated a document—available in English and Punjabi—outlining ways that individuals and gurdwarae can support truckers in their sangat. The document includes information about legal, family, medical (including mental health), financial, and other forms of support.
Policy Work
UPDATE: On December 22, the Sikh Coalition and our allies filed suit against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA-DMV) for their suspension of more than 20,000 non-domiciled commercial drivers licenses. Learn more about this lawsuit here, and if you live in California, send a message to the CA-DMV urging them to fix this problem here.
The Sikh Coalition continues to study the new ELP requirements and work to prevent any potential discrimination against Sikh/Punjabi drivers. View our first letter to the Department of Transportation here, and our second letter here.
To be clear, the Sikh Coalition is not opposed to common sense safety reforms—including the obvious fact that all truckers must have basic English language skills to drive safely in the United States. We are committed, however, to working to ensure that any new rules resulting from this order do not disproportionately or discriminatorily impact Sikh and Punjabi truckers.