U.S. DOT shuts down 110 CDL training schools

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced the emergency closure of 110 commercial driver license (CDL) training schools as part of a broader crackdown on improper licensing practices. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) cited allegations that some schools illegally granted licenses to unqualified individuals, including illegal aliens and those who failed proficiency tests, or accepted cash payments in exchange for licenses without providing training.

This latest action is part of a three-pronged federal strategy. The Department of Homeland Security is conducting sweeps of approximately 200 schools across 23 states, while the Department of Justice has established the ‘Joint Task Force Crossroads of America’ to enhance highway and border security. Officials stated that in the last 18 months, the USDOT has removed over 28,000 drivers for failing English proficiency, forced the cancellation of over 30,000 illegally issued licenses, and purged more than 8,000 unqualified schools from the FMCSA registry.

Among the newly shuttered institutions is the Fifth Wheel Commercial Driving School in Kent, Washington. Other closures include one school each in Oregon and Idaho, 13 in Texas and Pennsylvania, 11 in California, 10 in Florida, and 23 online schools with no physical location.