US DOT Closes 550 Driving Schools

The United States — United States Department of Transportation has ordered the closure of over 550 commercial driving schools across the U.S. due to significant safety violations, including employing unqualified instructors and inadequate student testing. This action, spearheaded by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and supported by the Trump Administration, aims to enhance safety in the trucking industry. The crackdown follows fatal crashes involving unqualified drivers and aggressive efforts to address states issuing commercial driver's licenses to unauthorized immigrants. United States — California has already lost $160 million in federal funding, and United States — Illinois faces a potential $128 million withholding. While the industry currently has a surplus of drivers, the long-term goal is to ensure well-qualified drivers, a move welcomed by established trucking schools and associations like the American Lung Association and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.