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Troubling Details Surface About The Truck Driver Going The Wrong Way On Missouri Highway

Troubling Details Surface About The Truck Driver Going The Wrong Way On Missouri Highway

A terrifying scene unfolded on a Missouri highway this week when an 80-ton commercial truck was filmed barreling the wrong way down a major roadway — and federal officials now say the driver could not read basic road signs.

The incident occurred around 8 a.m. Wednesday on Highway 61 near Troy, roughly 55 miles north of St. Louis. Video shared by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shows the massive rig traveling southbound in the northbound lanes for miles before eventually crossing back into the proper direction.

“We have learned that a truck driver with a Minnesota CDL who couldn’t read basic road signs spent MILES driving the wrong way in an 80 TON truck!” Duffy wrote in a post on X. He later confirmed the driver has been placed out of service.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, troopers conducted a traffic stop and discovered the driver, identified as a Somali national licensed in Minnesota, was unable to complete an English proficiency test. Sgt. Dallas Thompson told local outlet Fox 2 Now that commercial drivers in Missouri must be able to understand English and pass road sign testing in English, in accordance with both state and federal regulations.


Authorities noted the driver possessed a valid commercial driver’s license and showed no signs of impairment or medical distress. However, during the stop, officers determined he could not adequately identify basic road signage required for CDL holders.

The driver, who is employed by Cargo Transportation LLC, was cited for driving the wrong way. No arrests were made, and remarkably, no crash occurred.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety confirmed it has launched an investigation into how the driver obtained his CDL. In a statement, the department emphasized that all CDL applicants in Minnesota are required to complete knowledge and behind-the-wheel testing in English, consistent with federal regulations under CFR 383.

At the federal level, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation have also opened an investigation into the licensing process behind the case.

The incident arrives amid heightened national scrutiny over commercial driver qualifications. Last April, the Trump administration mandated that all CDL examinations be administered in English, reinforcing longstanding federal language requirements. Enforcement efforts intensified in August after a separate fatal crash in Florida raised concerns about English proficiency among commercial drivers.

According to the Department of Transportation, more than 14,000 truckers have been taken out of service for failing to meet basic safety requirements following an executive order designating English as the nation’s official language. The agency has also moved against so-called “CDL mills,” shutting down over 550 providers accused of failing safety standards.

“We will not stop until America’s roads are safe again for families,” Duffy stated.

For now, investigators are focused on determining how a driver allegedly unable to read road signs was cleared to operate one of the largest vehicles on the highway — and whether additional safeguards are needed to prevent a far more tragic outcome next time.

Written by Mark Stevens - February 27, 2026