12/03/2025
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), has removed nearly 3,000 truck driving schools from its federal registry and issued warnings to another 4,000 for non-compliance with entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements.
This crackdown on "CDL mills" is a significant enforcement action aimed at improving road safety by ensuring drivers receive adequate training. The review, which covered 16,000 authorized training providers, uncovered widespread issues, including:
Falsifying or manipulating training data
Failing to meet required curriculum standards, facility conditions, or instructor qualifications
Not maintaining accurate, complete documentation
Refusing to provide records during federal audits
The schools that have been removed from the FMCSA Training Provider Registry (TPR) are no longer authorized to provide the required training for commercial driver's license (CDL) applicants. The 3,000 targeted schools were given 30 days to prove compliance or face permanent closure, and they were also mandated to notify their current students that their certifications were at risk.
Industry groups, such as the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), have supported the move, arguing that self-certification for training providers had previously allowed fraud to enter the industry and compromise road safety.
