FMCSA Removes 110 Training Schools and Audits CDL Testers

Over 110 commercial driver training schools have been removed from the federal Entry-Level Driver Training registry. More than 160 additional providers face proposed removal. The agency is also starting a nationwide review of third-party CDL skills testers and the state agencies that supervise them.

Federal investigators visited 40 states in July to conduct nearly 400 checks of training facilities. Inspectors found unlicensed instructors, missing training records, and classrooms that did not meet standards. Drivers who graduated from the removed schools are connected to 239 commercial vehicle fatalities.

States with weak CDL testing programs may be forced to follow corrective action plans. Continued failures could lead to reduced highway funding or the loss of state CDL certification. Third-party testers will face stricter scrutiny to ensure exams are administered properly.

Agents from Homeland Security visited over 200 driving schools in 23 states on August 31. A new Justice Department task force covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio will work with multiple federal agencies to target transportation fraud and safety violations.

Carriers hiring new drivers must confirm that the training school remains on the federal registry. Drivers should verify their provider status before paying for courses. Regulators have issued out-of-service orders to more than 28,000 drivers for failing English tests since June 2025, and states have canceled more than 30,000 improperly issued licenses.

Source: Heavy Duty Trucking — https://www.truckinginfo.com/news/fmcsa-removes-110-truck-driver-training-schools-from-certified-eldt-list