Trucking Industry News

The FMCSA’s purge of 3,000 fraudulent truck driver training schools exposed major weaknesses in the Entry Level Driver Training rule, which allowed poorly regulated providers to self-certify with minimal oversight. In response, 160 Driving Academy urged the FMCSA to link fatal crash data to specific training providers to identify the most dangerous schools, but the agency declined to act, despite having the necessary data.

The federal government is tightening enforcement on fraudulent “CDL mills” that exploit regulatory gaps to certify unqualified drivers—undercutting legitimate training programs like 160 Driving Academy. Steve Gold, the company’s CEO and founder, warns, “These schools enroll thousands of students each year, fail to train them properly, and then putting them on a highway driving next to you and me and that’s the risk.”

The federal government is cracking down on fraudulent “CDL mills” that exploit loopholes to certify unqualified drivers, undermining legitimate training programs like 160 Driving Academy. The effort focuses on removing non-compliant schools, tightening oversight, and reducing the number of undertrained drivers entering the industry.

Steve Gold, CEO of 160 Driving Academy, warns that loopholes in the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry have enabled thousands of unvetted “CDL mills” to produce unqualified drivers, creating a nationwide safety crisis marked by fraud and rising crash rates. Industry leaders say restoring state-licensure requirements and strengthening federal enforcement is essential to eliminate illegitimate training providers and protect the public.

Steve Gold of 160 Driving Academy argues that true competence requires rigorous, hands-on instruction and a culture of safety—not just passing a licensing test. He calls for stronger oversight, transparency between carriers and trainers, and an industry-wide commitment to skill-based training to protect both public safety and business integrity.

Steve Gold, CEO of 160 Driving Academy, appeared on Fox News to stress the critical role of safety in the U.S. trucking industry, highlighting the need for stronger training standards, driver development, and accountability to meet growing demand without compromising road safety.

After a fatal accident involving a non-English-speaking trucker with a commercial driver’s license, President Trump ordered the Department of Transportation to review non-domiciled CDLs issued over the past four years. This move is a significant victory for highway safety and aims to help prevent future tragedies.

As automation advances, a deepening blue-collar labor crisis is putting critical industries at risk, prompting CEOs to rethink workforce strategies by investing in skilled trades, modernizing talent pipelines, and driving systemic change to future-proof their businesses.

As AI transforms hiring, entrepreneurs are moving beyond outdated résumés and job boards to embrace faster, data-driven talent matchmaking that builds stronger teams with greater speed and precision.

Industry leaders are warning federal regulators that lax enforcement of entry-level driver training rules—particularly the self-certification process introduced in 2022—is allowing subpar programs to graduate unprepared drivers, posing serious safety and compliance risks.

A growing shortage of truck drivers, projected to exceed 160,000 by 2030, is threatening supply chain stability and driving up costs, but proactive workforce development efforts like 160 Driving Academy and supportive platforms like Truckers Network offer promising solutions to meet rising demand and improve driver retention.