FMCSA removes 3,800 schools from Training Provider Registry amid 'CDL mill' purge

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Tuesday took another big step towards cleaning up Trainer Provider Registry as the agency looks to stamp out "CDL mills" and unsafe drivers with the removal of about 3,800 more training providers.

On Dec. 1, FMCSA announced the removal of nearly 3,000 commercial driver’s license (CDL) training providers from its Training Provider Registry (TPR).

At the time, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said the training providers were removed "for failing to equip trainees with the Trump Administration’s standards of readiness." 

Another 4,500 training providers were placed on notice due to potential noncompliance, DOT added.

Overdrive has learned that the 3,800 removed in January came from that batch of 4,500 that got served notice in December. 

FMCSA conducted in-person audits of another 1,500 schools beginning on Dec. 15, and any school that failed the audit would have been given 30 days to get into compliance. As such, any removals resulting from those audits wouldn't have processed yet. 

When FMCSA first started mass removals from the TPR, Overdrive talked to one small fleet owner who got a notice of removal. That was Jason Cowan, with Silver Creek Transportation of Henderson, Kentucky, a tanker and flatbed carrier and former Overdrive Small Fleet Champion. 

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Cowan had done some paperwork to get on the registry, but never really followed through with training drivers. As such, he let the paperwork lapse. 

Further Overdrive reporting found dozens of the removed entities hadn't ever taught CDL courses, or perhaps hadn't in years. 

Trade associations representing both public and private CDL schools have long called on FMCSA to clean up the TPR and purge it of "unscrupulous" actors, but an active school would likely have responded to FMCSA's notices. 

Perhaps that's what the in-person audits were for. 

Otherwise, FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs has gone after what he sees as the root of the problem with CDL mills, ELD cheats, and even medical review offices: Self-certification. 

[Related: FMCSA pins 'CDL mills' problem on self-certification: Are owner-ops to blame?]

All of these service providers have typically filed minimal paperwork to self-certify they meet federal regs. Barrs seeks to end that during his time at FMCSA. 

FMCSA will "work toward a regulatory process" to do away with "anything that has to do with self-certification at FMCSA," Barrs said in December.