Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday a statewide investigation into several trucking schools accused of certifying unqualified drivers and violating federal English-proficiency requirements.
The Attorney General’s Office has issued Civil Investigative Demands to five companies: EP Texas Trucking School, Trucker Certified LLC, Fast Track CDL LLC, CDLCALL.COM LLC, and Lindenwood Education System (Ancora).
State and federal laws require commercial driver’s license holders to be able to read and speak English well enough to understand traffic signs, converse with the public, and respond to official inquiries. However, preliminary findings from Paxton’s office suggest some schools are bypassing these standards.
According to the Attorney General, EP Texas Trucking School has allegedly told prospective students that English proficiency is unnecessary and has marketed its services in Spanish. The investigation also found that some schools may be operating under false claims of certification and offering "accelerated" 20-day training programs—significantly shorter than the industry standard of three to seven weeks.
"Putting non-English speakers behind the wheel of 18-wheelers in America can pose serious threats to public safety," Paxton said in a statement. "I will fight to ensure that Texans are safe and that only qualified, English-speaking truckers are operating commercial vehicles on our roads."
Officials say the schools under investigation operate across the state, including locations in El Paso, Odessa, Amarillo, San Antonio, Garland, and Arlington. The graduates from these programs often go on to work in major freight hubs like Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, Paxton added.
The probe is being conducted under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Paxton’s office said it intends to take "all necessary action" to protect students from fraudulent schools and ensure road safety for the public.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy this year kicked off a crusade against CDL mills, and DOT has already dropped 7,000 CDL training providers from its registry in recent months with thousands more having been placed on notice for potential removal.
Among the aims of Dalilah's Law, a bill requiring that all commercial truck drivers demonstrate English language proficiency and banning motor carriers from using certain foreign-based dispatch services, is the self-certification of CDL training, which Duffy said has led to a cottage industry of CDL mills.
