Pennsylvania is among the states hardest hit by a new federal crackdown on commercial driver training providers, with 13 schools in the Commonwealth among more than 110 being removed from the federal Training Provider Registry.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the emergency action Monday as part of a broader effort to strengthen the integrity of the commercial driver licensing system and remove training providers that fail to meet federal standards.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) identified the providers after analyzing roadside inspection data and tracing drivers who failed federal English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements back to the schools that certified their Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT).

The 110 providers targeted by the action were responsible for certifying more than 5,000 drivers who later failed ELP roadside inspections. Pennsylvania and Texas each have 13 providers affected — the most of any state.

And the federal scrutiny extends well beyond those 110 schools.

FMCSA sent 175 investigators into 40 states in July, conducting nearly 400 investigations of training providers. Investigators uncovered problems ranging from improperly licensed instructors and inadequate training facilities to missing student assessment records.

The Department of Homeland Security is also inspecting more than 200 driving schools across 23 states as federal authorities investigate potential CDL fraud, document and identity fraud, unauthorized employment, and other possible criminal activity.

Pennsylvania Has Already Taken Action

The federal crackdown comes just weeks after Pennsylvania strengthened its own oversight of commercial driver training schools.

Legislation championed by Sen. Judy Ward and supported by the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association gives the Pennsylvania Department of Education stronger enforcement tools against unlicensed commercial driving schools, including civil penalties of up to $25,000.

PMTA supported the legislation as part of its broader efforts to protect the integrity of Pennsylvania's commercial driver licensing system and ensure responsible training providers and motor carriers are not put at a disadvantage by those willing to cut corners.

Industry Called for Stronger Oversight

The federal action also closely mirrors recommendations made by the Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC) earlier this year as part of its Fight for Fairness and Safety: Paving the Way for a Trucking Resurgence initiative.

PMTA President & CEO Rebecca Oyler was one of the state trucking association executives who served on the task force that developed the recommendations.

The group identified a lack of quality control among Entry-Level Driver Training programs, truck driving schools and CDL testers as a significant weakness in the commercial driver licensing system. Among its recommendations, the task force specifically called on FMCSA to expedite the removal of non-compliant training providers from the Training Provider Registry.

The task force also recommended linking ELDT provider and driving school information with individual CDL records so regulators could evaluate training quality based on the subsequent performance of the drivers those schools certify — an approach reflected in FMCSA's latest enforcement action.

For PMTA, the goal is simple: a CDL needs to mean something.

Responsible training schools invest the time and resources necessary to properly prepare drivers. Responsible motor carriers depend on the licensing system to ensure the people they hire have received legitimate training. And everyone sharing Pennsylvania's highways depends on commercial drivers being prepared to safely operate an 80,000-pound vehicle.

Schools that cut corners undermine all three.

Today's federal action, coupled with Pennsylvania's recent efforts to strengthen oversight of commercial driver training schools, represents meaningful progress toward protecting the integrity of the CDL and ensuring a level playing field for those who follow the rules.

PMTA will continue monitoring the federal enforcement action and will share additional information as it becomes available.