- The government has cracked down on schools for CDLs.
- 448 could be removed from national training provider registry.
- Lacked qualified instructors and failed to test students properly.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has moved to shut down more than 550 “sham” training schools for truck and bus drivers. The government says these CDL training schools were in violation of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration standards and now could be removed from the national training provider registry.
As part of a massive operation, the government conducted over 1,400 sting operations across all 50 states. More than 300 investigators were involved as part of the five-day campaign and they reportedly discovered hundreds of noncompliant schools.
More: US Shuts Down Loopholes For Foreign Truck Drivers
The alleged violations vary, but the DOT mentioned everything from fake addresses to a lack of qualified instructors. Others “failed to properly train drivers on the transportation of hazardous materials.”
How Deep Did The Violations Go?
The government went on to say some schools were using “improper vehicles,” including those that “didn’t match the type of training being offered.” Others reportedly “failed to properly test students on basic requirements,” while some schools allegedly admitted they didn’t even meet requirements in their state.
In light of those findings, it’s not surprising to learn 109 schools voluntarily removed themselves from the training provider registry. 448 others were given notices of proposed removal because they failed to meet basic safety standards.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, “For too long, the trucking industry has operated like the Wild, Wild West, where anything goes and nobody asks any questions.” He added his team is “cracking down on every link in the trucking chain that has allowed this lawlessness to impact the safety of America’s roads.”
The latest effort is part of a larger initiative focused on truck driver safety. Last year, the government went after drivers who weren’t fluent enough in English to respond to official inquiries and understand highway signs.
More recently, the Department of Transportation made changes to stop unqualified foreigners from obtaining licenses to drive commercial trucks and buses. This effort largely focused on background checks and a reliance on employment authorization documents.
