California Crash Highlights Urgent Need for Ongoing Oversight in CDL Training and Licensing
- andrew.poliakoff
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) is deeply saddened by yet another preventable tragedy on our nation’s highways. According to federal and local law enforcement, a 21-year-old driver who entered the United States illegally in 2022 and later obtained a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in California is accused of causing a fatal crash on Interstate 10 that killed three people.
Early reports indicate the driver showed signs of impairment and never applied the brakes before impact. This horrific event echoes an earlier crash in Florida involving another unqualified driver and raises the same troubling question: how are individuals who fail to meet federal safety and legal standards still being allowed to operate 40-ton vehicles on American roads?
Link to video here: https://tinyurl.com/yr6khuyu
CVTA continues to vehemently call for stronger enforcement of the federal Training Provider Registry (TPR). The TPR is the clearinghouse for training providers where providers certify that new drivers are fully trained and ready to test for their CDL. However, unscrupulous actors, like those that offer two-day CDL training, have flooded the TPR and continue to certify substandard drivers for testing. This is a disaster that must be stopped.
Unlike the bad actors in the industry, CVTA's members represent the best of the best. To belong to CVTA you must pass through the Association's Oversight Committee which reviews curriculum and credentials. Operating across the nation, CVTA's members train more than 100,000 new commercial drivers each year and understand the life-or-death responsibility that comes with a CDL. And they conduct training with that in mind. They know that when government agencies fail to verify eligibility, English proficiency, or proper training credentials, they not only violate federal requirements—they endanger every motorist sharing the road.
The Association applauds Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s recent statement directing states to enforce English-language standards for commercial drivers and seeks greater enforcement of the Training Provider Registry. Training enforcement is the first line of defense to prevent these crashes. These are not mere bureaucratic hurdles; they are foundational safety safeguards ensuring that drivers can read signs, follow roadside directions, and communicate during emergencies. CVTA also supports the Secretary’s decision to hold states financially accountable for non-compliance and urges continued cooperation between USDOT, FMCSA, and state agencies to remove unqualified or fraudulent operators from the licensing system.
To that end, CVTA’s ELDT Task Force is calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation and FMCSA to accelerate the removal of bad actor training entities from the Training Provider Registry (TPR) and implement targeted reforms to strengthen the integrity of the system. The Task Force recommends the following actions:
Mandatory Re-Registration – Require all training providers that train the public to re-register so FMCSA can swiftly identify and prevent bad actors from self-certifying.
Expedited Removal of Non-Compliant Entities – Expand FMCSA’s authority to conduct immediate emergency removals of training providers found to be in violation.
Allow States to Remove Bad Actors from the TPR – Authorize state agencies to temporarily suspend or remove illicit providers when clear violations are identified.
Require a $25,000 Surety Bond – Requiring a bond for training provider status would greatly reduce bad actors. (By comparison, a $75,000 bond is already mandated for freight brokers, and similar bonding requirements are permitted under federal rules for state third-party testers and CDL schools.)
Regular and Unannounced Audits – Establish substantial oversight through routine and surprise audits, with state partners equipped to assist FMCSA in ensuring compliance.
Ultimately, this tragedy underscores what CVTA has said for years: training integrity and enforcement are inseparable from highway safety. Every CDL must represent both legal authorization and demonstrated skill. The victims of these preventable crashes deserve more than condolences—they deserve systemic change. CVTA and its members remain committed to working with federal and state leaders to close enforcement gaps, strengthen the Training Provider Registry, and ensure that only qualified, law-abiding professionals earn the privilege to operate commercial vehicles on America’s highways.
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