The Department of Transportation, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice announced a joint offensive against fraud in the training of 18-wheeler truck drivers.
On August 31, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) immediately removed more than 110 driving schools from its Training Provider Registry; this means that those schools can no longer offer classes, conduct practical tests, or certify any students.
More than 160 additional schools are now facing the same fate. The Department of Homeland Security carried out a coordinated operation at more than 200 additional locations spread across 23 states.
For its part, the Department of Justice created a new permanent task force named the Joint Task Force Crossroads of America specifically to continue this work in the future.
The headline everyone will draft will revolve around the English language: failed language tests, revoked licenses, and a political dispute over who can get behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound truck.
Since February 2022, anyone who wishes to train new truck drivers to obtain a commercial license is required to register with the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before certifying even a single student.
According to experts, with this federal government move, the winners are ordinary drivers who may be at lower risk of an accident with an 18-wheeler truck.
