USDOT Issues Emergency Shutdown of 110 CDL Schools
Taking quick action against improper CDL mills, the FMCSA just chose an emergency execution of the removal of 110 CDL schools. The schools are believed to have processed 5,000 drivers who failed to pass the federal English proficiency tests.
The decision comes as a sweeping interagency crackdown against the fraud going on in the trucking industry. The FMCSA has launched a nationwide audit to check the legitimacy of our CDL schools. This all followed USDOT’s announcement on August 31, 2026, to lower the amount of fraud going on in the trucking industry.
Secretary of USDOT Sean Duffy said that drivers need to be able to speak English to operate a commercial vehicle. He went on to say that President Trump didn’t create that rule and that this rule has been in place now for decades. However, we’ve gotten lax about enforcing it.
July Investigations—What They Found
In July 2026, an FMCSA investigation of over 400 ELDT providers found over 160 notices of proposed removals of 160 notices of the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.
The FMCSA uncovered a host of violations that included:
Instructors without the correct licensing to provide training.
Schools without documentation of records or assessments.
Not enough space for drivers to do the necessary maneuvers.
Fraudulent classrooms that had no right to operate.
Over 175 investigators from across 40 states audited over 400 training facilities. One of the schools was even being conducted from the back of a trailer in a school bus.
What’s the Process for Non-Compliant Schools?
States that don’t comply with the requirements for CDL programs will face action, with decertification possible in some cases.
The process could be highlighted in this way. First, the FMCSA will conduct a yearly review of each state’s CDL program. Should the FMCSA find non-compliance with their guidelines, a formal notification of noncompliance will be given to the governor of the state.
The state will be given 30 days to make a Correction Action Plan that they have both agreed on. They will also detail what actions they plan to take to fix those issues. Let’s say that the FMCSA finds that the state continues not to comply with the guidelines.
In that case, the FMCSA would have a right to withhold up to 4% of federal highway funds in the first year. If they continue not to comply for a following year, they would lose up to 8% of federal highway funds for each year that they remain noncompliant.
Let’s say that the FMCSA finds that a state has recklessly violated the guidelines without making the corrections. In those cases, they could be subject to a decertification process. This would prevent them from issuing, renewing, or transferring CDLs. Considering how all 50 states can issue CDLs right now, that’s a pretty serious thing to deal with.
Over 28,000 Drivers Placed Out of Service Since June 2025
Since June 2025, over 28,000 drivers have been placed out of service for ELP violations. None of this has been an innocent thing either. Before anyone might say that, there have been issues because these drivers didn’t receive proper training. Examples across the U.S. of this happening include:
In California, 36 trainees from the Platinum Plus Truck Driving School failed to pass their English proficiency test. One of those drivers suffered a fatal crash in Oklahoma.
At the ASC Institute in Texas, 58 drivers received citations for failing to pass the English proficiency tests. One of those trainees ran a stop sign and killed someone in Texas.
In New Jersey, at Angel’s Transportation, they conducted training in a parking lot that was too small for students to learn the proper maneuvers.
Beyond Improper Schooling
Investigations go beyond improper schooling. This is bigger than that. They’re also looking at things like money laundering, document fraud, drug trafficking, human smuggling, CDL fraud, identity document fraud, and actions linked to cartel activities. Homeland Security Investigations has received over 1,000 leads related to those types of things.
There is a task force right now working with the FBI, DOT, FMCSA, DEA, HSI, ATF, and ICE.
What are Your Thoughts on the Emergency Shutdown of 110 CDL Schools?
What we’re seeing right now is widespread action to clean up the trucking industry. If we continue to allow this fraud to keep happening, it will create a situation where anything goes, and that will make our American highways less safe.
Still, if you have a different opinion, we would welcome your thoughts on getting rid of the CDL mills that are improperly training truck drivers. Also, please like and share our article if you found it interesting.
