What to Know About DOT’s Crackdown on CDL Mills
New FMCSA Enforcement Efforts Aim to Improve Training and Safety Standards
Key Takeaways:
- The Department of Transportation removed nearly 3,000 truck driver training providers from the federal registry and warned 4,000 more after a nationwide compliance review.
- Officials said the review found widespread falsified training data, inadequate instruction and missing documentation among the 16,000 providers authorized to train CDL applicants.
- Providers on notice must alert trainees and have 30 days to prove compliance as DOT advances broader enforcement actions targeting CDL mills and other trucking safety violations.
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The Department of Transportation has removed nearly 3,000 truck driver training providers from the federal registry and put 4,000 more on notice, in what officials called the first step of a broader crackdown on so-called CDL mills.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration review of the 16,000 training providers listed nationwide found widespread noncompliance with entry-level driver training requirements.
“This administration is cracking down on every link in the illegal trucking chain,” Duffy said. “Under President Trump, we are [reining] in illegal and reckless practices that let poorly trained drivers get behind the wheel of semi-trucks and school buses.”
Why Training Providers Were Removed
According to DOT, the training providers were removed from the for:
- Falsifying or manipulating training data.
- Neglecting to meet required curriculum standards, facility conditions or instructor qualifications.
- Failing to maintain accurate, complete documentation or refusing to provide records during federal audits or investigations.
The TPR lists all providers authorized to offer federally required entry-level driver training for CDL students. The registry is meant to bolster transportation safety by ensuring that entry-level drivers complete required training before they can be tested for certain CDLs and CDL endorsements.
What Happens Next
The 4,000 training providers put on notice for potential noncompliance must notify all current and scheduled driver-trainees of their proposed removal status. Once providers receive a notice informing them of their proposed removal, they have 30 days to respond to FMCSA and provide evidence of compliance to avoid registry removal. During this time, a provider’s name will be included on a TPR Proposed Removal List.
“If you are unwilling to follow the rules, you have no place training America’s commercial drivers. We will not tolerate negligence,” FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said.
Industry Reaction
American Trucking Associations applauded the move.
Spear. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
“Training someone to operate an 80,000-pound vehicle is not a weekend hobby. It is a profession built on standards, discipline and responsibility,” ATA President Chris Spear said. “The Trump administration has sent the right message: If you’re running a CDL mill or if you’re issuing certificates to anyone who can fog a mirror, you’re on notice.”
Background: Part of a Broader Crackdown
This enforcement action is the latest in a series of moves by Duffy and FMCSA to target unqualified drivers and what officials have called corrupt operators in the trucking industry.
Since taking over at DOT, Duffy has issued sweeping changes targeting drivers who cannot sufficiently read or comprehend English language road signs and state practices in issuing problematic regular and non-domiciled CDLs and commercial learner’s permits.
In late September, Duffy declared a “national emergency” over states’ handling of CDLs for noncitizens, ordering immediate changes that gave California 30 days to comply or face the loss of $160 million in federal highway funds.
Another enforcement action has been announced to close self-certification loopholes enabling noncompliant electronic logging devices.
On Oct. 30, Duffy announced DOT would shift its truck driver safety focus to include targeting companies issuing CDLs to poorly trained individuals.
“We are going to go after CDL mills that are issuing licenses across the country, sending a certification into our state DOTs saying that you have a qualified individual to drive a big rig and licensed in your state. The truth is, they are not,” Duffy said then. “We are going to take a hard look at those individuals, and there will be serious consequences for them.”
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