By Ahsan Ali
Training the next generation of truck drivers is serious work, and there’s no room for shortcuts. Still, across the United States, more and more fake truck-driver schools are pretending to be real programs and taking advantage of people who want a career on the road.
These dishonest schools don’t just take students’ money. They also put everyone on our roads in danger. Some of them “train” students for only two or three days before sending them out to drive trucks that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.
That isn’t real training. It’s irresponsible, and it risks lives.
Recently, the Trump administration announced a long-needed plan to crack down on these CDL mills. The Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration say they will enforce the Entry Level Driver Training rule more strictly, tighten oversight of the federal Training Provider Registry, and move faster to remove unsafe training programs.
The White House deserves credit for taking this issue seriously and putting safety at the center of its response. The effort to shut down fake programs shows strong leadership and a commitment to restoring trust in the CDL system.
For years, the American Trucking Associations and the Commercial Vehicle Training Association have warned that fraudulent driver-training schools exploit students while harming legitimate programs. These fly-by-night operations don’t just scam people. They put every driver on the highway at risk.
One case in Pennsylvania illustrates the severity of the situation. A training school there operated without state approval, was ordered to shut down, and even admitted under oath that it failed to meet federal training standards. Still, it remained listed in the federal registry as though it met all requirements, even after state officials repeatedly asked for it to be removed.
The issue isn’t a lack of federal rules. The problem is weak enforcement. The federal registry still allows “self-certification,” meaning almost anyone can claim to be a qualified trainer. Once listed, even schools caught breaking the rules can remain there for a long time before being removed.
That needs to change now.
The Trump administration’s new approach signals that the old, slow system is being challenged. Regulators are finally ready to take stronger action to shut down low-quality programs and protect both new drivers and the public.
But to fully fix the problem, three major steps are needed:
First, every training provider must go through a complete re-registration process. No school should be allowed back onto the Training Provider Registry unless it proves it meets both federal and state standards.
Second, removal of bad actors must be immediate. If a state shuts down or suspends a program, FMCSA should take it off the registry right away. Fraud should not come with a grace period.
Third, increased accountability is essential. FMCSA should require public training providers to show they are committed to long-term safety, not just fast money.
The trucking industry has worked hard to improve safety, but those efforts mean little if unqualified schools are allowed to put unprepared drivers on the road.
The solution is straightforward: Verify the honest schools, require financial responsibility from those teaching the public, and remove the rest. Our highways are safer when only properly trained drivers earn their CDL.
Every American deserves to feel confident that the people driving our nation’s trucks earned their qualifications through real training. With renewed federal action, that goal is finally within reach.
Andrew Poliakoff is executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association, and Chris Spear is president of the American Trucking Associations.
Author Profile
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Ahsan Ali is a technology and business journalist who covers the latest developments in autonomous vehicles and innovative startups.
With a sharp eye for industry trends, he breaks down complex tech stories into clear, engaging insights for general readers.
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