Federal Crackdown on CDL Fraud Expands Across U.S.

Federal agencies are expanding their crackdown on CDL Fraud, targeting commercial driver training schools, third-party skills testers, trucking companies, employers, and other businesses connected to the licensing process.

The U.S. DOT announced the effort Monday, August 31. The operation brings together USDOT, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and several federal law enforcement agencies.

Among the biggest actions, FMCSA is moving to remove more than 110 Entry-Level Driver Training providers from its Training Provider Registry. Another 160-plus providers received notices of proposed removal following investigations across 40 states.

At the same time, federal authorities are expanding investigations into other parts of the commercial licensing system.

More Than 110 CDL Schools Face Emergency Removal

FMCSA said it identified the first group of training providers by reviewing roadside inspection records involving drivers cited for English Language Proficiency violations.

The agency compared those records with information in the Training Provider Registry. The goal was to identify schools that repeatedly certified drivers who later failed to meet federal English proficiency requirements.

FMCSA said more than 110 ELDT providers will be removed from the registry on an emergency basis. According to USDOT, those schools are associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed English proficiency tests.

Providers subject to emergency removal must immediately stop operating as registered training providers. That includes classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training.

CDL Fraud Investigations Reach 40 States

The latest action goes beyond the schools facing immediate removal.

FMCSA sent 175 investigators into 40 states in July. The agency conducted nearly 400 investigations of ELDT providers.

Federal officials said investigators found several types of noncompliance.

Some training ranges allegedly lacked enough space for required maneuvers. Other providers used instructors who did not hold the proper licenses. Investigators also found facilities that failed to maintain required assessment records.

In one case described by USDOT, a provider reportedly claimed its classroom was inside a school bus located in the back of a trailer.

The investigations resulted in more than 160 notices of proposed removal from the Training Provider Registry.

USDOT also said drivers certified by those providers have been linked to 239 commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities. The department’s announcement does not state that training violations at those schools caused the crashes.

Third-Party CDL Testers Face Nationwide Audit

FMCSA is also launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers and how states oversee them.

Federal regulations require CDL skills tests to be conducted in English.

USDOT said more than 28,000 commercial drivers have been placed out of service for ELP violations since June 2025. The department said those numbers raise concerns about whether some testing operations and state oversight programs are meeting federal requirements.

The audit could also have consequences for state CDL programs.

When FMCSA finds deficiencies, a state can be required to develop a corrective action plan. Continued substantial noncompliance can result in federal highway funding being withheld.

In serious cases, FMCSA can begin decertifying a state’s CDL program. A decertified state cannot issue, renew, transfer, or upgrade CDLs.

DHS Targets More Than 200 Driving Schools

The DHS is conducting a separate but coordinated enforcement effort.

Homeland Security Investigations planned a synchronized operation involving more than 200 driving schools across 23 states on August 31. The operation includes notices of inspection directed at CDL-related schools, businesses, carriers, and employers.

HSI, FMCSA, and the USDOT Office of Inspector General have also distributed more than 1,000 leads involving CDL-related businesses suspected of unsafe practices or transportation-sector violations.

Federal investigators are examining several types of alleged misconduct, including fraudulent CDL issuance, identity fraud, unauthorized employment, shell companies, financial crimes, labor exploitation, and medical certification fraud.

One investigation involves a trucking company suspected of using B1/B2 visa holders to transport domestic freight. Federal officials said three drivers have been arrested in that investigation.

Another investigation involves state motor vehicle employees suspected of accepting payments to help applicants bypass licensing requirements.

Other investigations are examining medical professionals suspected of improperly completing medical certifications required for commercial drivers.

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Operations Also Expand

The federal effort is reaching beyond CDL schools and licensing offices.

DHS outlined several enforcement operations involving commercial vehicles and drivers.

A Chicago-area operation coordinated with Indiana State Police from August 25 through August 27 focused on weigh stations. A separate nationwide operation planned for August 31 included commercial vehicle enforcement and inspection activity in Maine, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

DHS also identified several ongoing immigration enforcement initiatives involving commercial transportation, including Operation ICE Wall, Operation Guardrail, and Operation Freightliner.

The scope and targets differ among those operations, but they generally involve immigration status, commercial driver licensing, trucking employers, or commercial vehicle operations.

New Task Force Adds DOJ to CDL Fraud Crackdown

The Department of Justice is also joining the broader enforcement effort through the new Joint Task Force Crossroads of America.

The task force brings together U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Federal partners include USDOT, FMCSA, FBI, DEA, HSI, ICE, and ATF, along with state and local agencies.

According to DOJ and USDOT, the task force will investigate criminal activity and suspected fraud connected to the nation’s highway and transportation systems.

Its stated goals include reducing serious crashes and fatalities, targeting illegal trucking practices, coordinating enforcement between jurisdictions, and pursuing criminal cases when investigators identify potential violations.

What the CDL Fraud Crackdown Means for Trucking

The August 31 announcement significantly expands federal scrutiny of the commercial driver licensing system.

Earlier enforcement actions focused heavily on individual drivers, English proficiency requirements, and whether states were properly issuing commercial licenses. The latest effort moves further into the organizations and individuals responsible for training, testing, certifying, employing, and licensing commercial drivers.

For established CDL holders, the announcement does not create a new nationwide licensing requirement. However, increased roadside enforcement and English proficiency checks remain part of the federal government’s broader strategy.

Training providers, third-party testers, carriers, employers, medical professionals, and state licensing agencies now face increased federal scrutiny as the government continues its investigation into alleged fraud within the commercial driver licensing system.