Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is finally cracking down on the rogue trucking school industry that has been putting dangerous, unqualified drivers on America’s roads while exploiting students for profit.
Story Highlights
Federal review finds 44% of trucking schools may lose certification for failing to meet basic training requirements
Nearly 3,000 schools have 30 days to comply or face decertification, with 4,500 more under warning
Crackdown follows deadly crash caused by an unauthorized immigrant driver who made an illegal U-turn in Florida
Many targeted schools are “CDL mills” that falsely promise commercial licenses after just a few days of training
Massive Federal Review Exposes Widespread Training Failures
The Transportation Department’s comprehensive review of America’s 16,000 truck driving programs revealed shocking neglect of safety standards. Nearly 3,000 schools face immediate decertification unless they meet training requirements within 30 days, while another 4,500 schools received warnings about potential similar action.
These schools failed to maintain accurate records, meet basic training standards, and were accused of falsifying training data to push unqualified drivers onto public roads.
Federal review finds 44% of US trucking schools don’t comply with government rules https://t.co/t3HnTvxHiF
Andrew Poliakoff, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association, exposed how many targeted schools operated as questionable “CDL mills” that advertised driver training in just a few days.
These operations charged students $1,000 to $2,000 for inadequate weekend training programs, essentially “fleecing people out of money” without providing the skills needed for employment or license testing. Legitimate training programs require at least a month of comprehensive behind-the-wheel and classroom instruction.
Trump Administration Addresses Immigration Status in Licensing
Secretary Duffy’s enforcement efforts extend beyond training standards to address immigration status verification in commercial licensing. The Department of Homeland Security is auditing California trucking firms owned by immigrants to verify driver eligibility and qualifications.
This comprehensive approach follows a fatal Florida crash involving an unauthorized immigrant driver, prompting new restrictions on immigrant commercial drivers’ licenses and threats to withhold federal funding from non-compliant states.
Democratic States Face Federal Funding Threats Over Non-Compliance
Duffy has specifically targeted Democrat-controlled states for licensing violations, threatening to withhold $30.4 million from Minnesota over inadequate commercial driver’s license programs.
California faces pressure to revoke 17,000 improperly issued licenses to immigrants or those with expired work permits. Pennsylvania also received funding threats, while Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s spokesperson claims the state is working toward federal compliance after years of overlooked violations.
