Lawmakers Push DOT to Target Fraudulent CDL Mills

Two Republican lawmakers are pressing the U.S. Department of Transportation to take stronger action against fraudulent CDL mills—unregulated driver-training operations that critics say produce unsafe, undertrained commercial drivers. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky, sponsors of the Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act, urged Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to investigate programs they believe exploit regulatory gaps and put motorists at risk. Their bill would require CDL testing to be conducted in English, a standard they argue is essential for safety.

Their request follows a similar push from Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, who introduced legislation requiring CDL holders to understand and communicate in English, aligning with President Donald Trump’s executive order on “Commonsense Rules of the Road.” The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is already tightening scrutiny, recently withholding more than $40 million from California for failing to meet English-language proficiency standards.

Industry groups such as American Trucking Associations support the federal efforts, saying stronger training and licensing rules are vital to ensuring that only qualified, well-prepared drivers operate on the nation’s highways. Source: https://www.ttnews.com