DOT Sets Sights on CDL Mills After Safety Audit Findings
FMCSA Promises Consequences for Companies Disregarding Safety Regulations
Key Takeaways:
- The Department of Transportation plans to crack down on commercial driver license mills that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said are issuing licenses to unqualified or undocumented drivers.
- A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit launched June 27 found some states issued CDLs and permits to people lacking work authorization or valid citizenship status, raising safety concerns after recent fatal crashes.
- Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said the agency will impose penalties on training schools and companies that violate federal standards, with enforcement actions expected soon.
[Stay on top of transportation news: .]
The Department of Transportation is coming after companies that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said are issuing commercial driver licenses to poorly trained individuals who do not possess the skills necessary to operate safely on U.S. roads, and who in some cases are in the country illegally.
“We are going to go after CDL mills that are issuing licenses across the country, sending a certification into our state DOTs saying that you have a qualified individual to drive a big rig and licensed in your state. The truth is they are not,” Duffy said Oct. 30, citing a term used to describe driver training schools whose regimens and standards are under growing scrutiny amid a recent string of fatal truck crashes. “We are going to take a hard look at those individuals and there will be serious consequences for them.”
Duffy made the comments after reviewing the preliminary findings of a nationwide Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit of state processes for issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver licenses and commercial learner permits.
The audit, which began June 27 and is near completion, has uncovered the following issues:
- States have issued CDLs and CLPs to people designated as U.S. citizens who are either foreign residents or in the U.S. illegally.
- States have issued CDLs and CLPs to people who lack a work permit.
In some cases, Duffy said drivers are outright flouting the law.
“We have a number of drivers with no driver’s license at all,” he said. “They’re just getting behind the wheel of a big rig and operating it. And we’re seeing the consequences of that. We’re seeing more crashes — more death on American roadways. And so the question becomes what are we going to do?”
Fleets on Notice
He also promised to pursue companies that hire drivers with questionable training or immigration status.
“We are diving into the companies that hire these drivers that may not have a license, may not have a lawfully issued license or do not speak the language. Companies will be held to account,” Duffy said. “It’s our job in this department to make sure that people are safe. They expect us to look out for their safety. That means we have to use every tool we have to make sure we get compliance with these rules so Americans can feel safe when they go on the roadways and we have well-trained, skillful drivers of these big rigs that aren’t going to take their or their family members’ life.”
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs reiterated the importance of having safe, qualified professional drivers on the nation’s roads. He said FMCSA will soon announce actions to ensure entry-level driver training schools are adhering to federal regulations.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing above or go here for more info
“If you do not want to follow our standards, then you need to stay out of the profession,” Barrs said. “As the administrator of FMCSA, I want to make this perfectly clear to the driver training schools, if you are not following the rules and you’re not doing the things that you’re supposed to be doing, we’re going to ensure that we put you out of business. We’re going to come after you.”
American Trucking Associations thanked Duffy and FMCSA for their efforts and uphold ATA’s firm stance to promote safety through enhancing training, testing and licensing standards for CDL holders.
“Proper driver training is the baseline for highway safety, which is why we commend Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs for closing dangerous loopholes, enforcing existing regulations and ensuring that only qualified, well-trained drivers are operating on our nation’s roadways,” said ATA President Chris Spear. “Thanks to their leadership, we are making significant strides to root out bad actors and ensure every new commercial driver receives high-quality, consistent training before getting behind the wheel.”
