FMCSA Defends CDL Express Training-Registry Removal Over Language Gaps

FMCSA's Office of Safety Programs filed its formal defense of CDL Express LLC's emergency removal from the Training Provider Registry, posted Oct. 16 in Docket FMCSA-2026-3367. The agency said an August audit matched CDL Express's entry-level driver training (ELDT) certifications against roadside inspection data and found 73 driver-trainees it certified were later cited for violating the English Language Proficiency standard in 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2). FMCSA argued the Aug. 31 removal was lawful under 49 CFR 380.723(e), citing a material curriculum deficiency and willful disregard of the rules, and asked the agency decisionmaker to deny CDL Express's stay request.

Separately, FMCSA's Chief Safety Officer on Oct. 16 ordered the Office of Safety Programs to respond within 10 days to a similar emergency-removal challenge from CDL Lab LLC (Docket FMCSA-2026-3702). The Midwestern Service Center also filed a response opposing Safe Trucking LLC's bid to overturn a Conditional safety rating, disputing the carrier's claim that a 2025 crash was not preventable (Docket FMCSA-2026-2905). Prime Truck Driving School and Luwam Trucking also filed new petitions in their own TPR and operating-authority dockets.

What's next

• CDL Lab's response from the Office of Safety Programs is due roughly 10 days after the Oct. 16, 2026 order.
• Watch Docket FMCSA-2026-3367 for the decisionmaker's ruling on CDL Express's stay request and reinstatement petition.
• Full contents of the Prime Truck Driving School and Luwam Trucking filings were not legible in the posted documents; check regulations.gov for clean copies.

All sources

• Other: In the Matter of CDL Express LLC - Director of the Office of Safety Programs Response to Order on Petitioner's Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Entry Level Driver Training Provider Registry and Request for Stay — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-16
• Other: In the Matter of Prime Truck Driving School, LLC - Request for Leave to File a Reply and Supplement the Record — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-16
• Other: In the Matter of Safe Trucking LLC - Regional Field Administrator's Response to Petition for Administrative Review of Proposed Conditional Safety Rating — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-16
• Other: In the Matter of CDL Lab, LLC - Order Requiring Response to Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-16
• Other: In the Matter of Luwam Trucking LLC dba Lili Trucking - Appeal of Decision Rejecting Application for Reinstatement of Operating Authority Registration and Request for Extension of Time — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-16
• Other: In the Matter of International Truck Driving School - Order Requiring Response to Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-16
• Other: In the Matter of Go4CDL LLC - Order Requiring Response to Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-16
• Other: In the Matter of Intercheck Driving Services LLC - Director of the Office of Safety Programs Response to Order on Petitioner's Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Entry Level Driver Training Provider Registry and Request for Stay — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-16