Transportation Department says more than 550 driving schools should close over safety failures

Associated Press (AP)EN 4 min read 100% complete by By JOSH FUNKFebruary 18, 2026 at 09:23 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

The U.S. Transportation Department announced that over 550 commercial driving schools across the country face closure due to safety failures. Inspections in December revealed that 448 schools failed to meet basic safety standards, including employing unqualified instructors and inadequate student testing. Another 109 schools removed themselves from the registry upon learning of the planned inspections. This action follows increased scrutiny after fatal crashes involving truck drivers, including one in Florida in August, prompting the department to aggressively pursue states issuing licenses to unqualified individuals. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized the importance of proper training for bus and truck drivers. Established schools and the Commercial Vehicle Training Association support the effort to eliminate substandard training programs.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Indiana 30% Jeffery Burkhardt 40% Florida 40% Commercial Vehicle Training Association 40% Sean Duffy ×250% Trump administration 60% United States ×270% Transportation Department ×290%

Keywords

driving schools 100% trucking industry 80% safety standards 70% commercial driver's licenses 60% unqualified instructors 60% fatal crash 50% transportation department 50% bus drivers 40% truck drivers 40%