Trump Administration Removes 3,000 CDL Schools from Federal Registry

On Monday, Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy revealed that nearly 3,000 commercial drivers license (CDL) training providers were removed from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations (FMCSA) Training Provider Registry due to noncompliance with federal standards. An additional 4,500 providers were warned of potential violations. This action marks the most forceful enforcement against CDL training fraud in the agencys history.

Despite the purge, approximately 36,000 providers remain on the registry without federal validation, relying solely on self-certification. This administration is targeting every weak link in illegal trucking operations, Duffy stated. He criticized prior administrations for allowing unqualified drivers to enter U.S. roadways.

Background on the Entry-Level Driver Training Rule

The Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule, which created the Training Provider Registry, was originally designed to set consistent federal standards for CDL instruction, including training hours, curriculum content, and instructor qualifications. However, before its implementation in February 2022, the rule was weakened, removing mandatory training durations and detailed federal oversight. As a result, providers can now join the registry without credential verification, facility inspections, or instructor validation, effectively operating under an honor system.

State guidelines for CDL training vary widely, meaning training considered adequate in one state may be insufficient in another. Providers simply submit an online registration form, and FMCSA does not verify the submitted information or inspect facilities.

Historical Fraud and Its Consequences

CDL fraud has a long history in the United States. Federal investigations between 2001 and 2025 documented thousands of fraudulent licenses issued to unqualified drivers, leading to fatalities and serious accidents. Notable incidents include:

• A 74-vehicle pileup in California caused by a driver who obtained a CDL through bribery, resulting in two deaths and 51 injuries.
• Operation Safe Road in Illinois and Florida (2001-2003), which produced over 1,000 fraudulent CDLs and multiple convictions.
• Larex Incorporated in Florida (2014-2016), a scheme issuing 400500 fake licenses using cheating equipment and fake documents.
• Massachusetts State Police CDL scandal (2019-2025), where applicants received passing scores through bribery even after ELDT implementation.

These cases illustrate that weak oversight, low penalties, and financial incentives created a system ripe for abuse. Even after ELDT went into effect, fraudulent practices continued.

Systemic Weaknesses Persist

Key structural problems remain unaddressed:

• No federal validation of training providers before listing in the registry.
• No mandatory minimum training hours, allowing providers to offer insufficient instruction.
• Instructor qualifications are based on state rules, which vary drastically.
• No national tracking of student outcomes or provider performance.
• Absence of a national database for convicted CDL fraudsters, allowing repeat offenders to reopen schools.

As a result, the honor system continues, leaving many providers unverified and students at risk. Even with 3,000 providers removed, approximately 36,000 remain unchecked, operating solely on self-certification.

FMCSA Enforcement and Next Steps

FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs emphasized: If you are unwilling to follow the rules, you have no place training Americas commercial drivers. We will not tolerate negligence. Providers removed or warned have been found falsifying training data, failing to meet curriculum or facility standards, and refusing to provide documentation during audits.

However, federal enforcement largely ends with removal from the registry. Criminal referrals and systematic investigations of graduates or fraudulent operations are rare. The system still allows providers to reopen under new names, perpetuating the same cycle of fraud.

Calls for Reform

Experts argue for stronger federal oversight, including:

• Pre-authorization validation of providers and facilities.
• Mandatory minimum training hours to ensure skill development.
• Tracking of student outcomes linked to training providers.
• Creation of a national database of convicted CDL fraudsters, modeled on the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
• Lifetime industry bans for serious fraud violations.

Without these measures, the current system merely shifts fraud from one area to another while maintaining the honor system that has failed for decades.

Conclusion

The recent FMCSA purge demonstrates aggressive enforcement that previous administrations avoided. Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs are implementing overdue accountability in a system long plagued by self-certification and weak oversight. Yet, with tens of thousands of providers still unverified, the registry remains vulnerable, and the risk of CDL fraud continues. Comprehensive reform, not just reactive enforcement, is needed to prevent further accidents and ensure the integrity of commercial driver training in the United States.

Author: Sophia Brooks