Sikh Truck Drivers in the U.S. Face Increased Anxiety Following Fatal Crash

The trucks keep rolling on Highway 99 in California, the route bustling with freight traffic through the Central Valley. And behind the wheel is often a turbaned Sikh man, their cabs adorned with religious symbols, portraits of Sikh Gurus, or posters of Punjabi singers.

Sikhs, a religious minority group from India, have become a large part of America's trucking industry, helping to deliver everything from California strawberries to lumber across the country.

But a crash in Florida and its aftermath have sent shivers through the Sikh trucking community that could have economic consequences.

There are approximately 750,000 Sikhs in America, and about 150,000 working in the trucking industry, mostly as drivers. The role they play in this essential industry is evident from the names on their trucks' doors - Singh Trucking, Punjab Trucking - to the curry served at rest stops along the west coast, where approximately 40% of all truck drivers are Sikh, according to the North American Punjabi Trucking Association.

Many have limited English skills but years of driving experience. This has put some drivers in a precarious position, as the Trump administration has moved to tighten language requirements for commercial drivers. In response, many Sikh temples are offering language classes to help drivers pass their language tests.

Many drivers stayed home out of fear of the new laws. We started the class in mid-July, to help them return to work, said Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal, who volunteers with a Sikh temple in Stockton, California.

At an English class at the temple on Sunday, several drivers practiced introductions and reviewed highway signs and regulatory signs. Many drivers felt shy about speaking but were motivated.

Narinder Singh, a 51-year-old driver who has been working in America for eight years, says he's taking classes at the temple in Stockton because he thinks it's important to try to be a good citizen, and comply with the law.

Sometimes an individual's actions may cost the entire community, he said, referencing a fatal crash on the other side of the country that has shone a harsh spotlight on Sikh drivers in California.

A tragic crash shakes the industry

On 12 August, Harjinder Singh, an Indian-born truck driver, made a U-turn on the Florida Turnpike, crashing into a minivan and killing three people.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has claimed that Harinder entered the US illegally from Mexico in 2018 and obtained a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) in California, despite having no legal right to be in the United States and failing an English proficiency exam.

However, California officials say federal authorities told them he had a legal work permit when the state issued him a driver's licence. Harjinder now faces manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges in Florida and has been denied bail. His arraignment is slated for the end of September.

The crash has had a ripple effect on Sikh truck drivers. Two weeks after the Florida crash, Secretary of State Marco Rubio paused the issuing of work visas for foreigners looking to become commercial truck drivers in the United States.

There has also been an uptick in harassment against Sikh drivers, industry insiders tell the BBC.

Raman Singh Dhillon, chief executive officer of North American Punjabi Trucking Association, said many drivers are now afraid of becoming targets.

Sikh drivers are being harassed at truck stops. In some cases, even local law enforcement has been unresponsive, he says.

While he supports Trump's calls for more regulation of commercial licenses, and English proficiency requirements, Raman is concerned that harassment and increasingly strict immigration laws will make it harder for Sikhs to work in the industry. The trucking industry will soon face a serious driver shortage, he said.

Learning in sacred spaces

Raman Singh Dhillon, chief executive officer of North American Punjabi Trucking Association, says that there should be a proper investigation into how states are issuing commercial driver's licenses to individuals who don't meet English proficiency standards.

But so far, teaching English to drivers has largely been left up to members of the Sikh community themselves, such as the language classes being offered at temples across California.

No one is interested in addressing the core problem, Raman says.

That's why I believe driving schools and state agencies must be regulated.

Harinder Singh, a senior fellow at the US-based Sikh Research Institute, agrees. He says English proficiency as essential for acclimation, and recommends that federal and state governments, as well as trucker associations, offer subsidized programs to help immigrants learn English as a second language.

Arshveer Singh Sandhu has been teaching English to the drivers at Guru Nanak Parkash for seven weeks as a volunteer. His course - English4Truckers - covers basic English, communicating with officers during inspections, ordering at restaurants like Starbucks or Subway, calling 911, and explaining issues to mechanics.

The classes show positive results. Harpreet Singh, a 38-year-old Sikh truck driver, has attended since the program began. I have gained confidence in my thoughts in English. I now understand previously confusing highway signs, he told the BBC.