The U.S. Department of Transportation says more than 550 commercial driving schools nationwide must shut down after federal investigators found widespread safety violations, including unqualified instructors and inadequate testing of students. At least 48 of the affected schools are located in Texas.
The action follows a federal compliance review conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which oversees commercial driver licensing standards and entry-level driver training requirements. According to DOT officials, investigators found some schools failed to meet federal training standards designed to ensure truck and bus drivers are properly qualified before receiving a commercial driver’s license.
In several cases, regulators said schools either employed instructors who did not meet certification requirements or failed to properly document behind-the-wheel training hours. Other schools were cited for incomplete records and testing deficiencies.
The closures affect institutions listed on the federal Training Provider Registry, a database created to track compliance with entry-level driver training rules that took effect in 2022. Schools removed from the registry are not permitted to certify new commercial drivers.
Texas, one of the nation’s largest freight hubs, has dozens of impacted programs. The state sees significant commercial truck traffic along major corridors including Interstate 35, Interstate 45 and Interstate 10, making commercial driver training a critical workforce pipeline.
Federal officials said the enforcement action is intended to protect public safety by ensuring commercial drivers meet consistent national standards. There are no reported crashes or injuries directly tied to the enforcement announcement.
Students currently enrolled at affected schools may need to transfer to approved training providers to complete their certification. The Texas Department of Public Safety works alongside federal regulators in overseeing commercial driver licensing within the state.
DOT officials say additional compliance reviews are ongoing and further enforcement actions could follow.
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