FMCSA warns 550 CDL training schools of shut down for safety noncompliance

The Department of Transportation (DOT) notified over 550 CDL training schools this week that they may be removed from the national training provider registry.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found the schools are in violation of its safety standards.

The FMCSA said it mobilized more than 300 investigators across 50 states to conduct over 1,400 sting operations.

Noncompliant schools lacked qualified instructors, used fake addresses, and failed to properly train drivers on the transportation of hazardous materials, among other violations. One school removed for violating safety standards had previously provided training for school bus drivers.

“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,” said Sean P. Duffy, U.S. Transportation Secretary. “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.”

Unqualified instructors, improper vehicles

Over the course of five days, the FMCSA conducted 1,426 on-site investigations of driver training providers, which resulted in:

• 448 notices of proposed removals issued to schools that failed to meet basic safety standards.
• 109 training providers voluntarily removed themselves from the Training Provider Registry upon hearing investigators were on the way.

Common violations included:

• Unqualified Teachers: Instructors did not even hold the correct licenses or permits - such as for school buses - for the vehicles they were teaching their students to drive.
• Improper Vehicles: Schools were using vehicles that didn’t match the type of training being offered.
• Incomplete Assessments: Providers failed to properly test students on basic requirements.
• State Non-Compliance: Schools admitted to investigators that they did not even meet their own state’s specific requirements.

“We mobilized hundreds of investigators to visit these schools in person to ensure strict compliance with federal safety standards,” said Derek D. Barrs, FMCSA Administrator. “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.”

An additional 97 training providers remain under investigation for compliance issues.