U.S. Transportation Department Orders Closure of Over 550 Commercial Driving Schools
The U.S. Transportation Department announced on Wednesday that more than 550 commercial driving schools across the country must close immediately. This decisive action comes after federal investigators uncovered widespread safety failures, including the employment of unqualified instructors, inadequate student testing, and other critical deficiencies that compromise road safety.
Significant Shortcomings Uncovered in Site Inspections
This move represents the Trump administration's latest effort to enhance safety within the trucking industry. Unlike previous actions that targeted defunct operations, this crackdown focuses on active schools identified as having significant shortcomings. Inspectors completed 1,426 site visits in December, revealing that 448 schools failed to meet basic safety standards. Deficiencies ranged from employing unqualified instructors and failing to teach hazardous materials handling to using incorrect training equipment. Additionally, 109 schools voluntarily removed themselves from the registry upon learning of planned inspections.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized the importance of proper training, stating, "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." The department has been aggressively pursuing states that issued commercial driver's licenses to unqualified immigrants, following a fatal crash in August where an unauthorized truck driver caused an accident in Florida, killing three people. Subsequent crashes, including one in Indiana this month that claimed four lives, have heightened concerns.
Industry Support and Ongoing Investigations
Established schools have welcomed the enforcement effort. Jeffery Burkhardt, chair of the national Commercial Vehicle Training Association, noted that reputable schools support eliminating substandard operations. He highlighted that this marks the first enforcement of standards passed in 2022, with five major schools audited passing inspections. However, 97 schools remain under investigation for compliance issues, underscoring ongoing scrutiny.
Historically, limited oversight allowed schools and trucking companies to self-certify, with questionable operations often going undetected until federal audits. It is unclear how many students were enrolled or graduated from the decertified schools, but officials may follow up on graduates later. Burkhardt expressed hope that state-administered skills tests have weeded out unqualified drivers before they hit the highways.
Broader Industry Challenges and Praise for Action
The trucking industry faces steady demand for drivers due to high turnover, yet struggles to attract qualified candidates. Currently, a 10% drop in shipments since 2022 has created a cushion, but many companies still seek well-qualified drivers with clean records. Industry groups, including the American Trucking Association and the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, praised the shutdown of "sham schools." Todd Spencer, president of the independent owners group, criticized companies that rely on such schools, stating they "fueled a destructive churn" by pushing undertrained drivers onto roads, undermining safety and devaluing the profession.
Federal Funding Threats and State Audits
Beyond school closures, the administration is threatening to withhold federal funding from states that fail to clean up their commercial driver's license programs. California has already lost $160 million, and Illinois faces a potential $128 million cut after a recent audit found problems with nearly 20% of licenses reviewed. Common issues include licenses remaining valid after immigrants' authorization expired and states failing to verify immigration status. Problems have been identified in 10 states, including North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Texas.
This comprehensive crackdown aims to restore integrity to commercial driver training, ensuring that all operators meet stringent safety and proficiency standards to protect public safety on U.S. roads.
