FMCSA Removes 110 CDL Schools From Registry

Training-provider cleanup expands

FMCSA has removed more than 110 commercial driver training providers from its Training Provider Registry and is proposing removal for more than 160 others, turning the agency's ELDT cleanup into a broader federal enforcement campaign.

The latest action was announced August 31 and followed a comparison of roadside English-language proficiency violations with records in the Training Provider Registry. Heavy Duty Trucking reported that FMCSA also sent 175 investigators into 40 states in July for nearly 400 reviews of entry-level driver training providers.

Investigators cited problems that matter to fleet compliance teams: instructors without proper licenses, inadequate facilities for required vehicle maneuvers, missing training and assessment records, and classroom setups that did not match the provider record.

CDL testers are next

The agency is also launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers and state oversight programs. Federal rules require CDL skills tests to be conducted in English, and states that fall short can face corrective-action plans, highway-funding penalties, or eventual decertification of their CDL programs.

Transport Topics reported that the 110 closed schools were linked by officials to roughly 5,000 drivers who failed English-language proficiency checks, while FMCSA said more than 160 additional schools face proposed removal for apparent violations.

Why fleets should care

For fleets that hire CDL drivers or reimburse outside training, this is a driver-qualification file issue as much as a policy story. Safety and compliance teams should confirm that recent ELDT certificates came from active providers, especially for drivers trained through low-cost online theory programs or third-party schools that may have changed status.