The U.S. Department of Transportation has warned that thousands of commercial driver’s license (CDL) training providers could lose authorization following a federal compliance review, potentially affecting nearly 44% of the roughly 16,000 programs listed nationwide.
DOT warns thousands of CDL schools over compliance
Federal transportation officials have signaled a broad enforcement action against truck driving schools and trainers that are not meeting government requirements. The review found widespread compliance concerns, and DOT has indicated that additional revocations are possible. Thousands of listed CDL training providers are impacted by the latest action.
Scope and potential impact
- Nearly 44% of the approximately 16,000 programs on federal lists could be affected, equating to roughly 7,000–7,500 training providers.
- Programs found out of compliance risk removal from federal approval lists, which would prevent graduates from testing for CDLs and could effectively shut down those schools.
- The increased enforcement follows a review focused on adherence to federal requirements for curricula, recordkeeping, and instructor qualifications.
Alaska reports no immediate impact
Alaska officials said the state’s commercial driving schools remain unaffected by the federal crackdown that is threatening thousands of programs elsewhere in the U.S.
What’s next
DOT has begun notifying providers implicated by the review and has warned of possible additional actions. Training programs and carriers are monitoring the situation as federal officials continue to scrutinize provider compliance with CDL training standards.