The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently issued an emergency removal of 110 commercial driver’s license (CDL) schools associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed English language proficiency tests. It also launched a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers and states’ oversight of the testers.
The move is part of an interagency effort to crack down on fraud in the trucking industry that includes USDOT, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. The effort will target fraud and criminal networks to reduce highway fatalities.
“To fully root out the scourge of fraud, hold criminals accountable, and restore safety, we need the support of federal law enforcement,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “From states failing to follow the law to shady training schools and illicit companies, together we will tackle every link in the chain.”
The department has purged more than 8,000 unqualified training schools from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) registry, removed more than 28,000 drivers from the road for failing to speak English, and forced states to cancel more than 30,000 licenses illegally issued to foreign drivers.
FMCSA announced it will hold states accountable for authorizing testers who fail federal requirements.