CVTA Statement on 60 Minutes Broadcast: Great Opportunities in Trucking Begin with High-Quality CDL Training Schools

Washington, D.C. The Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) appreciates 60 Minutes’ recent investigation highlighting safety risks within the commercial trucking industry, including the existence of chameleon carriers, substandard training and gaps in enforcement. Increased public attention to these issues underscores the importance of maintaining strong oversight and accountability across the system.

CVTA recognizes the important role high-quality CDL training organizations play in connecting student drivers with reputable motor carriers. “Strong schools focus not only on how drivers are trained, but also on how they transition into the workforce,” said CVTA Vice Chair Samantha Greenberg. “Our nationwide network of member schools is committed to partnering with trusted carriers and maintaining strong industry relationships, an essential foundation for long-term safety and career success.”

The driver’s experience depicted in the 60 Minutes segment, including alleged invoice shaving, ELD manipulation and HOS violations, unsustainably low compensation, and exploitative lease arrangements, stand in stark contrast to the structured, transparent, and compliant employment pathways associated with major carriers that hire from CVTA member schools. Drivers entering the industry through these established channels benefit from clear pay structures, regulatory compliance, and professional support systems that are designed to promote both safety and long-term career stability.

CVTA would also like to highlight some information that was notably absent from the 60 Minutes segment.

Since the 2025 confirmations of Transportation Secretary Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs, the agency has taken first-of-its-kind aggressive actions to police bad actors across the trucking sector. “CVTA’s ELDT Task Force was convened in February 2022 to seek greater oversight and enforcement,” said CVTA Executive Director, Andrew Poliakoff. “We’re pleased to say we’ve seen more federal enforcement since August of 2025 than in the prior four years combined. Orders of magnitude more.”

For example: Appreciating the grave risk posed by bad actors in the CDL training space, Administrator Barrs and the Office of Safety Programs began rapidly removing noncompliant providers in late 2025. FMCSA has now removed roughly 7,000 providers from the Training Provider Registry, including fly-by-night operators brazenly offering recklessly short CDL training like ‘two-day’ and ‘three-day’ training.

In December 2025, FMCSA began an entirely new phase of oversight by conducting ‘boots on the ground’ in-person audits of 1,500 CDL training locations. Dubbed, Operation Driver Training, the enforcement blitz resulted in the coordinated removal of more than 550 non-compliant schools by federal investigators and has further and contributed to the removal even more substandard providers from Training Provider Registry. These actions represent a significant step toward strengthening accountability and restoring confidence in the training system. FMCSA has further indicated that there will be more audit operations and a dedicated nationwide staff that will perform in-person audits to ensure compliance with federal standards. “Strong enforcement is what ensures that standards are applied consistently across the industry,” said CVTA Chairman Jeff Burkhardt. “When oversight is active and sustained, it reinforces the work of training providers that are committed to doing things the right way and preparing drivers to meet federal safety requirements. CVTA’s ELDT Task Force has been pleased to see the agency also taking further steps to amplify its enforcement pace by coordinating with state agencies that police the training industry.”

CVTA thanks 60 Minutes for the national segment and hopes that this information will offer well-deserved credit to FMCSA for noteworthy enforcement, while highlighting the imperative that students choose high-quality CDL schools on their path to an outstanding career in the trucking industry.

Watch the 60 Minutes segment here: https://youtu.be/ylbvU-lmcpI?si=en4xmjODUrmXDK2M