In February 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implemented nationwide Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) standards — establishing, for the first time, a baseline curriculum for commercial driver training.

ELDT ensures that every new driver receives consistent, high-quality instruction and demonstrates proficiency in the skills that lead to safer driving. It also created the Training Provider Registry (TPR), allowing future drivers to find training programs that meet federal standards.

Why ELDT Enforcement Matters

When fully enforced, ELDT delivers measurable safety improvements:

• 115 lives saved over 10 years

• 2,364 injuries avoided

• 7,857 property-damage-only crashes prevented
   

Yet, despite these proven benefits, enforcement remains incomplete. Without decisive action to remove non-compliant training providers, ELDT cannot fulfill its safety promise.

A Growing Safety Crisis
 

The need for vigilance is urgent.

• In 2022, 5,837 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes — a 49% increase since 2012.

• These incidents claimed 5,936 lives.
  Driver behavior remains the leading factor in crash causation — including failure to obey signals, reckless driving, and erratic lane changes. Each of these risk behaviors is specifically addressed in ELDT-compliant training.

Enforcement Gaps Undermine Progress

FMCSA has made strides toward enforcement improvements, but progress has stalled:

• Most state agencies surveyed by CVTA report that FMCSA has not finalized enforcement actions against noncompliant entities they reported.

• As of February 25, 2025, FMCSA has removed only four entities from the TPR, with just twenty-five currently under review.

Until these actions are completed, unsafe and non-compliant training providers remain on the registry — undermining the credibility and safety benefits of ELDT.

A Call to Congressional Oversight
 

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation should exercise oversight to ensure FMCSA acts decisively.
CVTA members encourage lawmakers to sign onto an upcoming oversight letter that:

• Asks FMCSA specific questions regarding the lack of finalized enforcement actions.

• Reinforces the importance of removing bad actors from the TPR to safeguard the integrity of driver training and public safety.