Sean Duffy Orders Closure of Hundreds of CDL Programs Violating Regulations

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy framed the crackdown as a necessary step to protect road safety and uphold training quality. In a forceful statement, Secretary Duffy described the CDL training landscape as having operated like the “Wild, Wild West,” with insufficient oversight allowing substandard providers to operate without accountability. He stressed that federal enforcement will no longer tolerate practices that place unprepared drivers on U.S. roadways.

FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs also emphasized that if a provider cannot demonstrate compliance with safety and training standards from qualified instructors to correct equipment and effective assessment, it should not be instructing the next generation of truck or bus drivers.

Industry Response

Major industry groups have publicly backed the effort. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) praised the crackdown as a positive step toward strengthening driver preparation and roadway safety. ATA leadership highlighted that strong training standards and compliance reviews are essential to maintaining the credibility and effectiveness of the CDL system, especially as the industry seeks to ensure that all drivers are truly ready for the demands of heavy vehicle operation.

Why This Matters

The FMCSA’s action comes amid broader scrutiny of CDL training quality, regulatory compliance, and road safety outcomes. In recent years, similar enforcement efforts have removed thousands of providers from the federal registry, with prior actions targeting nearly 3,000 training schools for failing to meet basic safety and curriculum requirements.

Critics of low‑quality CDL programs argue they contribute to poorly trained drivers entering the workforce, potentially increasing the risk of accidents, improper cargo handling, and highway safety issues. Supporters of the USDOT’s strategy believe the crackdown will improve overall training quality and help rebuild trust in the CDL system.

However, some industry stakeholders have cautioned that removing large numbers of training providers without expanding capacity among high‑quality programs such as community college‑based courses or established carrier training academies, could tighten access to training and further complicate driver recruitment efforts already challenged by labor shortages.