More than 550 CDL training schools shuttered

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(The Center Square) – More than 550 training schools for commercial driver’s licenses have been closed, the U.S. Department of Transportation says.

Following 1,400 sting operations by 300 investigators across all 50 states, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found many lacked qualified instructors, had fake addresses, and did not properly train prospective drivers for things such as transporting hazardous materials.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said some teachers were licensed or permitted for school buses, not the trucks requiring CDLs they taught students to drive. Some driving instruction was in vehicles not matching the prospective CDL licensure.

Trucking associations told The Center Square the Transportation Department is to be commended.

The Commercial Vehicle Training Association, the nation’s largest association representing professional truck driver training programs, said through Chairman Jeff Burkhardt, "CVTA has been the tip of the spear in identifying noncompliant providers and pushing for meaningful federal oversight. Our ELDT Task Force has worked tirelessly to clean up this industry and help usher in a new era of safer roadways and greater opportunity in trucking. We commend Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs for transforming these long-standing concerns into real enforcement that protects the public and supports reputable schools."

ELDT is an acronym for entry-level driver training.

From the 150,000-member Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, President Todd Spencer in an email to The Center Square said, “Shutting down hundreds of sham trucking schools that fail to meet even basic federal standards is a significant step toward protecting the motoring public and defending the professionalism of America’s truck drivers.

“For years, CDL mills have fueled a destructive churn driven by the false narrative of a nationwide truck driver shortage. Rather than fix retention problems and working conditions, some in the industry chose to cut corners and push undertrained drivers onto the road. That approach has undermined safety and devalued the entire trucking profession.”

Proper testing was another common fault. While standards can fluctuate from state to state, some investigators had schools admitting failure to meet their respective state’s norms.

“We mobilized hundreds of investigators to visit these schools in person to ensure strict compliance with federal safety standards,” said Administrator Derek Barrs of the motor carrier administration. “If a school isn't using the right vehicles or if their instructors aren't qualified, they have no business training the next generation of truckers or school bus drivers.”

There were 109 training providers voluntarily removed from the Training Provider Registry upon hearing the sting operations were coming. There were 448 notices of proposed removals for schools failing to meet basic safety standards. Another 97 training providers are still under investigation for compliance.

“For too long, the trucking industry has operated like the Wild, Wild West, where anything goes and nobody asks any questions,” Duffy said. “The buck stops with me. Under President Trump, my team is cracking down on every link in the trucking chain that has allowed this lawlessness to impact the safety of America’s roads. American families should have confidence that our school bus and truck drivers are following every letter of the law and that starts with receiving proper training before getting behind the wheel.”