Over 500 Driving Schools Ordered to Close Due to Safety Failures

Transportation Department cracks down on unqualified instructors and inadequate student testing at commercial driving schools.

Feb. 23, 2026 at 3:47am

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The U.S. Transportation Department has ordered more than 550 commercial driving schools that train truckers and bus drivers to close after inspectors found significant safety issues, including employing unqualified instructors, failing to properly test students, and using improper equipment. This latest enforcement effort follows the Trump administration's actions last fall to decertify up to 7,500 driving schools, many of which were no longer operating. The crackdown comes amid concerns over fatal crashes involving drivers who may not have been properly trained or authorized to be on the road.

Why it matters

The Transportation Department's actions aim to improve safety in the trucking industry by shutting down driving schools that are not meeting basic standards. This follows a series of fatal crashes that have heightened concerns about undertrained commercial drivers, including those who may not have been authorized to be in the country. The move is part of a broader effort to clean up commercial driver's license programs across the U.S.

The details

Inspectors found that 448 schools failed to meet basic safety standards, with deficiencies such as employing unqualified instructors, failing to properly test students' skills or teach them how to handle hazardous materials, and using the wrong equipment. Another 109 schools removed themselves from the registry when they learned inspections were planned. The list of schools being decertified includes many smaller programs, including some run by school districts. Five larger, more reputable schools represented by the national Commercial Vehicle Training Association all passed the audits.

  • In December 2025, federal inspectors completed 1,426 site visits to driving schools across the country.
  • In August 2025, a fatal crash in Florida involving a truck driver who was not authorized to be in the U.S. heightened concerns about undertrained commercial drivers.
  • In early 2026, a crash in Indiana killed four people, further intensifying the focus on driving school safety.

The players

Transportation Department

The U.S. federal agency responsible for overseeing transportation safety, including commercial driving schools.

Sean Duffy

The Transportation Secretary who stated that the truck driver involved in the fatal Florida crash was not authorized to be in the U.S.

Jeffery Burkhardt

The chair of the national Commercial Vehicle Training Association, who said established schools welcome the enforcement effort to eliminate substandard driving schools.

Todd Spencer

The President of the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, who said the reliance on questionable driving schools "fueled a destructive churn" in the trucking industry.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary

“You know, the good players have no problem with it. Absolutely none.”

— Jeffery Burkhardt, Chair, Commercial Vehicle Training Association

“Rather than fix retention problems and working conditions, some in the industry chose to cut corners and push undertrained drivers onto the road. That approach has undermined safety and devalued the entire trucking profession.”

— Todd Spencer, President, Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association

What’s next

The Transportation Department is threatening to withhold federal funding from states that do not clean up their commercial driver's license programs, and has already withheld $160 million from California for issues with its CDL program.

The takeaway

This crackdown on substandard driving schools highlights the critical need for rigorous training and oversight in the commercial transportation industry to ensure public safety. It also underscores the broader challenges facing the trucking sector, including high turnover, driver shortages, and the potential for unscrupulous practices that prioritize quantity over quality.