FMCSA Defends Mass CDL School Removals as Appeals Pile Up

So whatCarriers & fleets: verify any recent CDL grad's ELDT certificate came from a school still active on the TPR before dispatching them solo.

FreightFiles Desk | October 6, 2026

FMCSA's Office of Safety Programs filed a response defending its August 31, 2026 emergency removal of Soler & Soler CDL School Corp from the Training Provider Registry (TPR). The agency said an August 2026 audit matched roadside English Language Proficiency (ELP) citations to drivers Soler & Soler had certified as having finished Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT), finding 13 driver-trainees cited for ELP violations after certification. FMCSA said that showed a material deficiency and willful disregard of 49 CFR part 380, justifying immediate removal under 49 CFR 380.723(e) without a corrective-action period. Soler & Soler's petition argued the removal lacked evidentiary support and relied on inferences about drivers' English skills at the time of certification; the agency's response rejected that argument and asked the reviewing official to uphold the removal.

The filing lands alongside a separate order in the Trucktrailerpro CDL School case, where FMCSA's Chief Safety Officer on October 6, 2026 gave the Office of Safety Programs 10 days to respond to that school's own removal petition. Dockets for other training providers' petitions, including Star Career Training, were also posted this week but their content was not available for review.

What's next

Watch for FMCSA's Office of Safety Programs response in the Trucktrailerpro docket, due roughly by October 16, 2026.
A final decision in Soler & Soler is pending; if upheld, the removal stands as final agency action under 49 CFR 380.723(d).

All sources

Other: In the Matter of Soler & Soler CDL School Corp. - 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 — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: In the Matter of Star Career Training LLC - Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: Trucktrailerpro CDL School, LLC- Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: Trucktrailerpro CDL School, LLC- Order Requiring Response to Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: In the Matter of Soler & Soler CDL School Corp. - Petitioner's Response to Office of the Director of Safety Programs Response to Petition for Administrative Review and Request for Informal Conference — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: In the Matter of SaferTraining 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 — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: In the Matter of Sun City CDL, 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 — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: In the Matter of Fifth Wheel Commercial Driving School Inc. - Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: In the Matter of SaferELDT 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 — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: In the Matter of EZ Wheels Driving School Inc. - Supplement to Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from FMCSA Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-06
Other: In the Matter of CDL Express LLC - Order Requiring Response to Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-05
Other: In the Matter of Elegant E-Learning Inc. dba Driving-Tests.org - Order Requiring Response to Petition for Administrative Review of Emergency Removal from Training Provider Registry — Regulations.gov (FMCSA), 2026-10-05

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