A sweeping federal review in the United States has revealed that nearly 44% of the nation's truck driving schools are failing to comply with government rules, putting thousands at risk of imminent closure.
Massive Non-Compliance Uncovered
The US Transportation Department announced on Monday 01 December 2025 that its investigation found widespread issues across the industry. Out of approximately 16,000 schools reviewed, a staggering 44% – equating to around 7,000 institutions – were not meeting mandated standards.
The department plans to take immediate action against the worst offenders. Nearly 3,000 schools will have their accreditation revoked unless they can demonstrate full compliance with federal training requirements within the next 30 days. A further 4,000 schools have received warnings that they could face similar sanctions if improvements are not made.
Catalyst for a Safety Crackdown
This unprecedented enforcement drive is the latest step in a government effort to tighten standards for commercial drivers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated the push was galvanised by a tragic incident in Florida, where a crash caused by a truck driver making an illegal U-turn killed three people. Secretary Duffy revealed that driver was not authorised to be in the US.
"We are reigning in illegal and reckless practices that let poorly trained drivers get behind the wheel of semi-trucks and school buses," Duffy said in a statement.
Systemic Failures and Falsified Records
The Transportation Department cited specific failures leading to the crackdown. The 3,000 schools facing the most severe action have been accused of:
- Failing to meet core training standards.
- Not maintaining accurate and complete student records.
- Falsifying or manipulating training data.
The full list of schools targeted has not yet been made public. This regulatory action follows previous threats by Secretary Duffy to pull federal funding from states like California and Pennsylvania over driver licensing issues, and his proposal for new restrictions on which immigrants can obtain a commercial driver's license – a policy currently on hold by a court order.
The move signals a significant shift towards stricter oversight in an industry critical to the US supply chain, with the clear aim of improving road safety by ensuring all drivers are properly qualified.
