Federal transportation authorities are significantly widening their crackdown on fraud within the U.S. trucking industry. More than 110 commercial driver training schools are being removed from a federal registry, while another 160-plus schools are facing potential removal as regulators intensify scrutiny of the institutions involved in training and licensing truck drivers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the enforcement measures Monday in Detroit alongside Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Derek Barrs, federal prosecutors and members of the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
“What we are announcing is an emergency executive shutdown of 110 driving schools,” Duffy said during a news conference. He added that the schools involved account for 5,000 violations related to English-language proficiency.
The initiative goes beyond driving schools. Federal authorities are also launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers, while Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is conducting an enforcement operation involving more than 200 driving schools across 23 states. At the same time, the Justice Department has established a new task force dedicated to trucking-related fraud and criminal activity in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
Three schools singled out by federal officials
DOT did not publish a complete list of the 110 schools being removed or the 160-plus institutions targeted for removal. However, officials identified three schools during Monday’s announcement.
Platinum Plus Truck Driving School in California was among those cited. According to FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs, the school certified 36 drivers who were later cited for English-language proficiency violations. Barrs said one of those trainees was subsequently involved in a fatal crash in Oklahoma.
ASC Technical Institute in Texas was also identified. Barrs said the school certified 58 drivers who were later cited for English-language proficiency violations. One of those trainees, he said, subsequently ran a stop sign and killed a man in Texas.
Angel’s Transportation in New Jersey appears to be part of the 160-plus schools proposed for removal rather than the 110 subject to emergency shutdowns. Barrs said the school’s training took place in a parking lot that was too small to allow students to perform the maneuvers required during CDL training.
More than 2,000 CDLs issued by just 10 testers
Federal officials are also examining the role played by third-party skills testers.
Duffy said authorities identified 10 skills testers in a single state who collectively issued more than 2,000 commercial driver’s licenses to individuals who later failed to meet English-language requirements.
“We have 10 skill testers who have given over 2,000 driver’s licenses to people who can’t speak English,” Duffy said. “This is the simplest of tests.”
According to DOT, more than 28,000 commercial drivers have been placed out of service for English-language proficiency violations since June 2025. The agency said the figure points to failures not only among individual drivers, but also within third-party testing and state oversight systems.
HSI investigates wider trucking-related criminal activity
The federal operation also marks an expansion of investigations into potential criminal activity connected to the trucking sector.
Homeland Security Investigations said it has received more than 1,000 leads involving CDL-related businesses suspected of unsafe practices or exploitation within the transportation industry.
Investigators are examining a broad range of allegations, including CDL fraud, unauthorized employment, identity-document fraud, money laundering and labor exploitation. Authorities are also looking into possible links to human smuggling, drug trafficking and cartel activity.
On Monday, HSI planned a coordinated enforcement surge involving more than 200 driving schools in 23 states. According to DOT, federal investigators have already issued more than 80 notices of inspection and launched multiple investigations involving suspected fraudulent CDL issuance, unauthorized employment, identity fraud and shell companies.
New Midwest task force targets trucking fraud
The Justice Department has also announced the creation of the Joint Task Force Crossroads of America, bringing together all nine U.S. attorneys’ offices covering Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
The task force will coordinate with DOT, FMCSA, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ICE, ATF and state and local authorities. Its mission will include pursuing trucking fraud and other criminal activity along major freight corridors in the Midwest.
The coordinated approach reflects the federal government’s effort to move beyond individual driver enforcement and investigate the wider network of schools, testers, employers and businesses involved in the CDL system.
OOIDA backs tougher enforcement
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) welcomed the crackdown, arguing that stronger oversight of CDL training and English-language proficiency requirements is necessary to improve highway safety.
“Nobody cares more about highway safety than professional truck drivers,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a statement to FreightWaves. “OOIDA and professional truck drivers across America commend Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs for taking concrete actions to crack down on fraudulent training operations and restore rigorous English language proficiency enforcement.”
Spencer also urged Congress to pass Dalilah’s Law, arguing that the legislation would help “ensure CDL mills remain closed” and make English-language proficiency enforcement permanent.
Why it matters
The latest measures represent a significant expansion of the federal government’s CDL enforcement strategy. Rather than focusing exclusively on drivers who violate English-language requirements, authorities are moving upstream to scrutinize the schools, third-party testers and businesses responsible for training, licensing and employing commercial drivers.
With more than 110 schools already facing removal, another 160-plus under scrutiny and investigations spanning 23 states, the operation places the entire CDL training and testing ecosystem under considerably greater federal pressure.
