In the US, pressure is mounting on so-called CDL-mills — training centers that quickly prepare candidates for obtaining a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), often with minimal practical training. The issue has reached the federal level: lawmakers, regulators, and industry associations are publicly stating that such schools pose a risk to road safety.
The trigger was a series of appeals to the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), as detailed by Land Line.
This term usually refers to training providers that:
- formally comply with Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements,
- but provide minimal real behind-the-wheel practice,
- focus on speed and volume rather than quality of training.
Critics argue that graduates of such programs are allowed to operate multi-ton trucks without sufficient experience for complex road conditions.
At the end of 2024, a group of congressmen sent a letter to the US Department of Transportation demanding an investigation into the activities of such schools. According to Land Line, the appeal emphasized that some programs "prioritize quantity over safety" and undermine the very purpose of federal training standards. One of the letter's authors stated that inadequate training of heavy truck drivers directly threatens all road users.
FMCSA has been administering ELDT rules and maintaining a registry of approved training providers for several years. The agency's official page emphasizes that new drivers are required to undergo standardized training before being allowed to take the CDL exam, including both theory and practice FMCSA.
However, as regulators themselves admit, formal compliance with requirements does not always mean actual quality of training. This is precisely what has led to discussions about increased oversight and potential inspections of schools.
Major market players have also supported the idea of tightening standards. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has called on Congress to strengthen driver training requirements, including stricter oversight of training centers and candidate testing American Trucking Associations.
According to the industry, the issue of "CDL-mills" affects not only safety but also the reputation of the truck driving profession as a whole.
In the coming months, it is expected:
- increased inspections of training providers,
- possible changes in federal training rules,
- pressure on states that allow low training standards.
For future drivers, this could mean longer and more expensive training. For the market, it could mean a reduction in "quick" licenses but a potential increase in road safety.
One thing is clear now: the issue of CDL driver training quality has ceased to be an internal industry dispute and has become a matter of federal policy and public safety.