US Government to Shut Down 550 Driving Schools

The federal Transportation Department is moving to shut down more than 550 commercial driving schools that train truck and bus drivers, after investigators uncovered widespread safety violations.

Officials said inspections found schools using unqualified instructors, failing to properly test students, and falling short of basic training standards that are supposed to protect the public.

Unlike an earlier crackdown last autumn that targeted up to 7,500 schools that were largely inactive or defunct, this action focuses on schools that are still operating. The department said it reached its decision after 1,426 site inspections that identified serious compliance failures.

The move comes amid sharper scrutiny of commercial driver licensing and training, following concerns about how some states have handled commercial driver’s licenses. Federal officials have pointed to a deadly crash in Florida in August as part of the backdrop to the enforcement push.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said the Florida crash involved a truck driver who was not authorized to be in the United States, and that the driver made an illegal U turn that killed three people. Safety concerns have also intensified after other fatal crashes, including one in Indiana earlier this month that killed four.

Duffy said 448 schools failed to meet basic safety requirements. Investigators cited issues including instructors who were not qualified, students not being tested on essential driving skills, gaps in training around hazardous materials, and the use of incorrect equipment for instruction.

Officials said another 109 schools removed themselves from the federal registry after learning inspectors planned to visit.

“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.

Officials indicated the schools now targeted for decertification are typically smaller operations, including some programs run by school districts. Larger, established schools were generally not included in this round of action. The department said another 97 schools remain under investigation for additional compliance concerns.

Some observers say a central weakness in the system is that schools and trucking companies can effectively self certify when applying to operate, allowing questionable programs to begin training drivers before a later audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

It was not immediately clear how many students are enrolled at the schools facing decertification. The broader industry may have some short term capacity to absorb the disruption, with the sector currently carrying more drivers than demand requires. That surplus comes as shipments have fallen about 10% since 2022, driven in part by economic uncertainty. Even so, many trucking companies still report difficulty finding well qualified drivers with clean records.

The Trump administration has also warned states it may withhold federal funding if they do not address problems in their commercial driver’s license systems. Federal officials have additionally focused on enforcing English proficiency standards for truck drivers.

California is the only state to lose funding so far, with the federal government planning to withhold $160 million.

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