DOT Removes 550+ Driving Schools from Registry

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday that more than 550 commercial driving schools nationwide, which train truck and bus drivers, will be removed from the federal National Training Provider Registry due to widespread safety violations. The action targets active institutions found lacking in basic standards during a nationwide inspection blitz conducted in December.

Over 300 investigators carried out 1,426 onsite visits during a five-day operation the week of Dec. 8, uncovering issues such as unqualified instructors, inadequate student testing, improper training vehicles and failures to teach handling of hazardous materials. Officials reported that 448 schools failed to meet core Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requirements, while an additional 109 providers voluntarily withdrew from the registry upon learning of impending audits. Another 97 schools remain under investigation for compliance concerns.

The violations affected a range of programs, including smaller operations and those run by school districts, with one instance involving training for school bus drivers. Larger, established schools largely passed their reviews. The Commercial...