The Department of Transportation has removed nearly 3,000 truck driver training providers from the federal Training Provider Registry and placed another 4,000 on notice, beginning what agency leaders describe as a nationwide crackdown on so-called CDL mills.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the action on Dec. 1, saying that a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration review of roughly 16,000 registered providers found widespread noncompliance with federal entry-level driver training requirements. Duffy said the administration is intensifying oversight of the trucking industry and tightening controls on practices that allow inadequately trained drivers to operate semi-trucks and school buses.
Widespread Noncompliance
DOT officials said the removed providers were cited for falsifying or manipulating training data, failing to meet curriculum or facility standards, using unqualified instructors, or refusing to provide complete records during federal audits or investigations. The Training Provider Registry serves as the national directory of institutions authorized to deliver federally required entry-level driver training and is meant to ensure that CDL applicants complete proper instruction before testing.
Providers Put on Notice
The 4,000 providers flagged for potential removal must notify all current and upcoming trainees of their status. Once they receive formal notice from FMCSA, they have 30 days to provide documentation demonstrating compliance if they wish to remain on the registry. During that review window, they will be listed publicly on a Proposed Removal List.
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said the agency will not allow providers that ignore federal rules to continue training commercial drivers and stressed that negligence in training will not be tolerated.
Part of a Larger Enforcement Campaign
The enforcement action is part of a broader campaign by DOT to address what officials describe as corruption and lax oversight in parts of the trucking industry. Since taking office, Duffy has issued several policy changes targeting states that issue CDLs or learner permits to drivers who cannot adequately read English-language road signs or who do not meet federal identification standards.
In late September, Duffy declared a national emergency regarding states’ handling of CDL applications from noncitizens, ordering immediate compliance changes and warning that California could lose $160 million in federal highway funds if it did not meet federal requirements within 30 days.
DOT has also launched actions aimed at closing self-certification loopholes that allow noncompliant electronic logging devices to remain in operation.
On Oct. 30, Duffy indicated that DOT would further expand its safety priorities by focusing on companies that he said issue CDLs to drivers who lack proper training. He stated that some training providers certify individuals as qualified despite clear deficiencies and warned that DOT intends to impose serious consequences on operations found to be engaging in such practices.
