The Hidden Threat on America’s Highways: Unlicensed & Fraudulent CDL Schools
The Hidden Threat on America’s Highways: Unlicensed & Fraudulent CDL Schools
By Andrew J. McLoughlin, Vice President of National Training Inc.
Published on LinkedIn
In the trucking industry, safety starts with training. But in 2025, it’s becoming alarmingly clear: not all CDL schools are playing by the rules. Across Florida and the United States, unlicensed and fraudulent training providers are endangering our roads, defrauding students, and damaging the reputation of an industry built on responsibility.
As Vice President of National Training Inc., a licensed CDL and Heavy Equipment training institution in Florida for over 40 years, I’ve watched with growing concern as “CDL mills” and rogue operators continue to pop up—some without licenses, others falsifying tests, or cutting corners in training. The result? Unqualified drivers getting behind the wheel of 80,000-pound trucks—and unsuspecting students wasting thousands of dollars on worthless certifications.
💥 The Reality: These Aren’t Minor Violations
- In Florida, one third-party tester was caught skipping entire parts of the skills exam—1,500 drivers had to be retested or lost their CDL.
- A CDL school in Pennsylvania passed students who never even took the test—its owner is now serving nearly 5 years in federal prison.
- In Washington, over 80% of drivers from one fraudulent program failed when properly re-tested.
- Across Massachusetts, CDL test results were sold to unqualified applicants, with help from corrupt state troopers.
These aren’t isolated incidents. This is a pattern—a national threat that undermines public safety and the integrity of legitimate training institutions.
🛑 What’s Being Done?
Thanks to pressure from reputable schools and industry associations like CVTA and NAPFTDS, FMCSA is finally cracking down. Nearly 60 non-compliant schools have been purged from the federal Training Provider Registry in recent months. States like Florida are also being pushed to investigate and remove bad actors.
But enforcement is far from consistent. Many of these schools operate under the radar—without licenses, without accountability, and without any concern for safety.
👷♂️ The Human Cost
These fraudulent schools aren’t just breaking the rules—they’re breaking trust. Students pay $3,000–$7,000 expecting a career path and end up with revoked CDLs, no job, and no recourse. Some schools close overnight, leaving no one to call and no refunds to process.
Meanwhile, the public pays the ultimate price when unqualified drivers—rushed through training or simply never tested at all—cause accidents that were preventable.
🔍 What Can We Do?
- Regulators must double down on enforcement. FMCSA, state DMVs, and licensing commissions must remove bad actors—quickly and permanently.
- Employers should vet where applicants trained. A resume with a suspect CDL school should raise red flags.
- Students and families must do their homework. If the school isn’t licensed with the state or registered with FMCSA, walk away.
- Industry leaders need to keep speaking out. Integrity in training protects all of us—drivers, companies, and the public.
💬 Final Thought
At National Training Inc., we’ve invested decades into providing rigorous, compliant training that prepares students for real jobs—and real safety. We don’t cut corners, and we don’t compete with those who do.
If you’re a regulator, a legislator, or an employer—we invite you to join us in calling for zero tolerance for unlicensed CDL training operations.
This industry deserves better. Our roads deserve better. And so do our students.
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If you’d like to learn more about how National Training is supporting responsible CDL and heavy equipment training across the country, connect with me or visit www.truckschool.com.
#CDL #Trucking #WorkforceDevelopment #FMCSA #VocationalTraining #Transportation #PublicSafety #FraudPrevention #HeavyEquipment #NationalTrainingInc
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