ZeroHedge News
Follow
Fake Records May Have Put Untrained Drivers On America's Roads
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin are investigating approximately 75 entry-level driver training schools suspected of commercial driver’s license (CDL) fraud. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) identified these schools for issues like falsifying training records and failing to properly train drivers. This initiative is part of the administration's ongoing effort to combat fraud within the trucking industry. Previously, USDOT purged over 9,500 unqualified training schools, removed 24,000 drivers for English proficiency failures, and canceled 28,000 illegally issued foreign driver licenses. The licensing system grants immense power to training schools, as federal rules mandate completion of approved instruction before a CDL skills test. Dishonest schools undermine this critical checkpoint, impacting road safety significantly. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will now collaborate with FMCSA to determine if poor instruction escalated to criminal fraud. This joint probe introduces criminal investigators to trace false records, payments, and potential coordination among schools and applicants. Legitimate driving schools and qualified drivers support this cleanup, as fraudulent operators compromise industry integrity and road safety. The government's duty is to ensure proper training before issuing licenses, a responsibility Duffy and Mullin are now treating with the seriousness it demands for highway safety.