Federal transportation and homeland security officials on Monday announced the immediate shutdown of 110 commercial truck-driving schools across the U.S., citing violations of English language proficiency requirements for commercial driver’s license applicants.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued emergency removal orders, removing the schools from the federal Training Provider Registry. The closures affect more than 5,000 drivers who later failed English proficiency tests during roadside inspections, according to the departments of Transportation and Homeland Security.
The enforcement action follows a nationwide audit of third-party testers authorized by states to verify commercial driver’s license applicants’ skills. Officials stated that inadequate or fraudulent training contributed to deadly crashes, including incidents involving drivers who had been certified by the shuttered schools.
Key details of the enforcement action
The emergency closures were announced during a news conference in Detroit, where Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin outlined the rationale for the shutdowns. Duffy emphasized that federal rules requiring drivers to understand and communicate in English have been in place for decades. Mullin linked the issue to what he described as problematic practices in certain states.
Officials did not specify how many of the 110 schools are located in California, but they highlighted the state as a focal point of concern. California was cited alongside New York and Illinois as states where licenses may have been unlawfully issued. The departments noted that many violations are detected when trucks are pulled over in the Midwest, despite licenses being issued in other states.
Schools cited in fatal crashes
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs provided examples of schools whose graduates were involved in fatal crashes. Platinum Plus Truck Driving School in California certified 36 drivers later cited for language violations, including one who was involved in a crash in Oklahoma. ASC Technical Institute in Texas certified 58 such drivers, including one who ran a stop sign and killed a man, according to Barrs.
Barrs also referenced the case of Dalilah Coleman, who was critically injured in 2024 when an 18-wheeler driven by an immigrant from India crashed into her family’s vehicle in the Mojave Desert. Coleman, then 7 years old, was left in a three-week coma with a severe brain injury. Her father, Marcus Coleman, participated in the news conference alongside federal officials.
Federal response and ongoing investigations
The emergency shutdowns are part of a broader federal partnership to address fraud and illegal practices in the commercial trucking industry. Investigators conducted a coordinated sweep on Monday, targeting more than 200 training schools in 23 states. The FMCSA stated that the schools will no longer be permitted to provide federally recognized entry-level driver training.
Federal officials did not provide a timeline for when additional actions or audits might be completed. The departments emphasized that the emergency measures are intended to prevent further unsafe drivers from entering the commercial fleet, though the long-term impact on the industry remains unclear.