Language Testing for the Transportation Industry

Working in the transportation industry brings you into contact with people from all over the world. Pursuing language testing and certification through Language Testing International^® can provide more opportunities to better communicate with the people who trust your business to take them to their destination.

Understanding the Importance of Language Testing in the Transportation Industry

Industries and their audiences value language proficiency for its vast impact on business. Language testing in the transportation industry is a constructive way to confirm proficiency in a non-native language so your staff can assist your customers and clients. Providing a range of languages for people to communicate seamlessly can help your transportation company stand out in the industry.

Why Language Proficiency Is Crucial in Transportation

Transportation and motor carrier operations carry many responsibilities, from taxiing someone to the correct location to shipping precious cargo across the sea. Whatever the case, communication is important to ensure people or products get exactly where they need to be.

Speaking to someone in their native language often allows you to communicate more effectively, benefitting both parties by increasing your client or passenger's sense of safety and your business's efficiency.

The most appropriate level of language proficiency can vary depending on your department and role. For example, a mailing company's customer service agents will need a higher level of understanding than package delivery drivers because they hold daily conversations about more complex topics like package tracking and other concerns. It's still essential for drivers to have a basic understanding of a language to best communicate with customers they come in contact with.

The Influence of Language Testing on Business Performance

As we said, language testing can directly influence your business's performance. Language ability is now a fundamental skill in leadership and professionalism, widening your company's horizons and increasing inclusivity. Additionally, if passengers are able to communicate with your staff in their native language, they are more likely to use your transportation services again — or at least recommend them to others.

Addressing Communication Challenges in the Transportation Industry Through Language Testing

As with any industry, the transportation sector has acknowledged the importance of resolving communication challenges. Language Testing International can help you and your staff overcome these issues by helping companies like yours build teams of proficient language users who are well-versed in communicating with their audience.

Identifying and Overcoming Communication Issues in Transportation

Chances are, you or your employees have run into a communication issue or two while working in the transportation industry. Perhaps you have encountered someone struggling to understand you or vice versa.

Workers in the transportation industry must be able to navigate safety concerns while on the job, such as being able to understand when there is danger to themselves or others. In the U.S., ensuring that your employees understand English is incredibly beneficial for both their and their passengers' safety.

Whether you speak the same language or not, verbal and nonverbal miscommunication can raise complications and cause frustration, especially if someone needs to get to a particular location at a specific time or has other pressing concerns.

Language barriers are among the most common communication issues in the transportation industry. Language Testing International offers a series of proficiency assessments from ACTFL to help overcome this significant challenge.

Tailored Language Testing and Certification Solutions From Language Testing International

With LTI, your team can use specialized language testing services to gauge individuals' skill sets and proficiency levels. Administering ACTFL language proficiency tests can help you determine your employees' or potential candidates':

• Speech proficiency: The oral proficiency tests can be done online or over the phone. Both formats assess the test-taker's ability to speak in another language — the online test is held through a virtual assistant while the calls are with a real person, simulating a real-time conversation.
• Listening proficiency: Online listening tests use a series of audio prompts and require the test-taker to answer multiple-choice questions based on real-world topics.
• Reading proficiency: The online reading proficiency test gives test-takers several passages and paired multiple-choice questions in their chosen language.
• Writing proficiency: Unlike the other tests, the writing proficiency test asks open-ended questions about a particular passage, prompting the test-taker to apply their ability to understand the question and write out a response.

How Language Proficiency Tests Enhance Business Relationships in the Transportation Industry

While transportation companies often work with customers, they also interact with other businesses — especially for large shipments or other deliveries. Language proficiency tests can help with communication across countries or cultures.

The Role of Language Proficiency in Strengthening Business Relationships

Beyond enhancing the client experience, language proficiency can help strengthen your business relationships. Language proficiency can help your company build trust with your clients and partners, encouraging them to continue working with you and ultimately enhancing your company's reputation.

Language Testing International offers a trusted avenue for proving your staff's skill set in a particular language. Use our proficiency tests to determine your team's ability to converse about and coordinate details with other businesses using industry jargon.

Begin Your Company's Journey With Language Testing International

Language Testing International understands that learning and becoming proficient in another language often requires significant effort. As the exclusive licensee of ACTFL's tests, LTI is directly positioned to help individuals verify proficiency. ACTFL assessments are available in over 120 languages, with some of the most popular options including Spanish, English, Russian, French, German, Italian, and Korean.

The LTI team remains dedicated to the transportation industry, offering professionally proctored tests that test the language skills professionals in your sector use daily.

Initiate Your Staff's Language Testing Journey With Language Testing International

While LTI is based in New York, online and over-the-phone testing enables companies to benefit from these services anywhere. To begin, fill out our sales form with your company's:

1. Owner and organization name.
2. Contact information, such as a company email and phone number.
3. Location and industry specifications.
4. Number of tests required.

At the end of the form, there is an open-ended space to discuss more about how LTI can help. After submitting, an LTI team member will get in touch with you to determine which testing option best fits your transportation company's needs.

Request Language Testing International Proficiency Testing for Your Transportation Company Today

In the transportation industry, communication is the base of everything you do. Prove your staff's ability to communicate in a specific language with ACTFL tests administered by Language Testing International.

Let us help your company reach communication and business performance goals through a few simple steps. Feel free to contact us at 1-800-486-8444 if you have any additional questions!