CVTA Featured in New York Times Article on USDOT Licensing and Training Crackdown

The Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) was recently featured in a New York Times article for its support of federal efforts aimed at improving safety and accountability in the truck driver training and licensing system.

The article examined a series of actions taken by the U.S. Department of Transportation to address long-standing weaknesses in oversight, including tightening enforcement of English-language proficiency requirements and cracking down on poorly run truck driving schools.

CVTA has consistently emphasized that meaningful safety outcomes depend on the quality and integrity of training programs—not on rhetoric or assumptions—and has welcomed renewed federal scrutiny of schools that fail to meet basic standards.

Quoted in the article, Andrew Poliakoff, CVTA’s executive director, underscored the association’s longstanding position that enforcement against substandard programs is both necessary and overdue, noting that such schools have proliferated in recent years.

CVTA’s advocacy has focused on restoring the original intent of federal training requirements: ensuring that all new commercial drivers—regardless of background—are properly trained, vetted, and prepared to operate safely on America’s roadways.

The New York Times feature highlights CVTA’s role as a leading industry voice calling for consistent enforcement, data-driven policy, and a training system that prioritizes public safety and professionalism above all else.