FMCSA investigators issued 448 notices of proposed removals from its registry to schools failing basic safety standards. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg)
February 19, 2026 1:25 PM, EST
Key Takeaways:
- Federal investigators inspected 1,426 commercial driver training providers and shut down 550 deemed noncompliant.
- Violations included unqualified instructors, improper vehicles and failures to meet state and federal standards.
- ATA praised the crackdown as a significant step toward improving driver training quality and roadway safety.
A nationwide sweep that wiped out hundreds of bogus truck‑driver training schools highlights federal enforcement action being taken to vet commercial drivers before they hit the road.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Feb. 18 that investigators inspected more than 1,400 schools and shut down 550 operations deemed “shams,” marking one of the largest crackdowns on CDL training to date.
The newly shuttered training schools come on the heels of Duffy recently announcing the closure of 7,500 commercial driver training schools to rid the industry of CDL mills and keep unqualified drivers from operating heavy trucks and buses.
“For too long, the trucking industry has operated like the Wild, Wild West, where anything goes and nobody asks any questions. The buck stops with me,” Duffy said. “Under President Trump, my team is cracking down on every link in the trucking chain that has allowed this lawlessness to impact the safety of America’s roads.”
This sting operation appeared more consistent with a police operation under the direction of FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs, who boasts a 35-year career in law enforcement and roadway safety expertise. Barrs rose through the ranks in Florida as a deputy sheriff in Madison County and state trooper before retiring as chief of the Florida Highway Patrol.
“We mobilized hundreds of investigators to visit these schools in person to ensure strict compliance with federal safety standards,” Barrs said. “If a school isn’t using the right vehicles or if their instructors aren’t qualified, they have no business training the next generation of truckers or school bus drivers.”
FMCSA’s operation spanned five days, during which 300 investigators visited 1,426 driver training providers in all 50 states.
The sting resulted in 109 training providers voluntarily removing themselves from FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry “upon hearing investigators were on the way,” according to DOT.
FMCSA investigators issued 448 notices of proposed removals from its registry to schools failing basic safety standards.
The federal registry lists training schools to ensure entry-level commercial motor vehicle drivers meet mandatory Entry-Level Driver Training regulations before testing for certain CDLs and related endorsements.
Nearly 100 training providers remain under investigation for compliance issues.
Types of Violations
- Unqualified instructors lacking proper licenses or permits to drive the vehicles they were teaching students to operate.
- Schools using vehicles unlike the type that students were to be trained to drive.
- Exam providers failing to properly test students on basic requirements.
- Noncompliance with state regulations.
“Schools admitted to investigators that they did not even meet their own state’s specific requirements,” according to DOT.
We’re putting the brakes on CDL mills
Unqualified drivers DO NOT BELONG on our roads, and we’re holding the industry to a higher standard!
The buck stops HERE 🇺🇸https://t.co/wKOnOaLehb
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 18, 2026
“American families should have confidence that our school bus and truck drivers are following every letter of the law, and that starts with receiving proper training before getting behind the wheel,” Duffy said. “Unqualified drivers DO NOT BELONG on our roads, and we’re holding the industry to a higher standard!”
ATA Lauds Action
American Trucking Associations commended the Trump administration for taking decisive action to strengthen the integrity of the commercial driver training system and reinforce its commitment to safer roads.
“The proposed removal or voluntary withdrawal of more than 550 CDL training providers from the national Training Provider Registry makes clear there is no place in trucking for sham schools that fail to meet federal requirements,” said Henry Hanscom, ATA chief advocacy and public affairs officer. “Our industry depends on safe, skilled, and well-trained drivers.
“That begins with training providers that meet and uphold rigorous federal curriculum and qualification standards. We support strong oversight, including random audits across the states, to ensure compliance and protect the integrity of the driver pipeline.”
He said the FMCSA’s nationwide sting demonstrates ongoing efforts “to weed out bad actors. Combined with enforcing federal driver qualification standards and maintaining consistent compliance reviews, these steps are critical to strengthening the CDL system and ensuring every driver who gets behind the wheel is well prepared to operate safely.”
CVTA Responds
“CVTA’s national membership of high-quality truck driver training schools commends Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs for turning years of concern into concrete enforcement actions that protect the public and uphold the credibility of responsible training institutions,” said Andrew Poliakoff, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association.
“CVTA’s ELDT Task Force has remained steadfastly focused on strengthening the integrity of the Training Provider Registry, and we are pleased to see strong oversight producing meaningful results. We thank USDOT and FMCSA for their leadership and look forward to continued enforcement in the truck driver training industry,” he added.
