A recent Sacramento Bee op-ed by CVTA Board Director David Bither  focuses on a central issue confronting the commercial transportation industry: ensuring that professional drivers operating on public highways are properly licensed and trained. In the op-ed, Bither highlights California’s failure to revoke thousands of unlawfully issued commercial driver’s licenses by the federal deadline. This lapse has led U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to initiate the withholding

In a recent Fox News op-ed, CVTA Chairman Jeffrey Burkhardt addressed the need to uphold professional standards to keep commercial driving safe for motorists, drivers, and the supply chain. Responding to remarks made by Rep. Jasmine Crockett during a House Judiciary Committee hearing downplaying the importance of English language proficiency for commercial drivers, CVTA's Chairman emphasized that equating the operation of an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle to driving a passen

Representative Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) The Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA) expresses serious concerns regarding Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s recent remarks at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, which suggested that English language proficiency is not required to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle. Equating the operation of an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle with driving a passenger car abroad misrepresents the responsibilities and risks of professional dri

CVTA Advocacy Day brings members to Washington, D.C. for two days of direct engagement with Congress. Attendees will participate in a brief prep session, join fellow members for a group dinner, and spend a full day on Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers—meetings and transportation included. CVTA handles the coordination so you can focus on sharing your perspective and advancing policies that support high-quality commercial driver training. Registration is now open. Register

Recent reports from Texas highlight the direct impact of federal oversight and state enforcement on the integrity of the commercial driver licensing system. Since November, Texas has canceled over 6,400 CDLs held by individuals with temporary or discretionary immigration status. This action followed a nationwide U.S. Department of Transportation audit that found discrepancies between CDL expiration dates and federal work authorization documents. States were warned that failin

A recent review of the FY 2026 Labor-HHS appropriations bill confirms that Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding for Adult, Youth, and Dislocated Worker training programs will be maintained. This clarification addresses previous concerns about potential reductions or restructuring of federal workforce funding that could have limited access to training resources. For CVTA member schools, WIOA remains a stable funding source for commercial driver training. Adu

FMCSA Training Provider Registry as of January 20, 2026 In November 2025, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) began a major clean-up of the Training Provider Registry (TPR), removing nearly 3,000 providers that did not complete required biennial self-certifications. This action targeted administrative compliance and addressed inactive or unresponsive listings that had accumulated since the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule took effect. With the Regis

CVTA Executive Director Andrew Poliakoff  will join a transportation law panel focused on the ongoing commercial driver shortage and workforce challenges. The panel will follow a regulatory update from the FMCSA Chief Counsel Jesse Ellison. The panel, titled “The Persistent Driver Shortage: Innovative Ideas and Legal Issues Every Carrier Should Know About,”  will address varying perspectives on the causes and existence of the driver shortage, along with new legal and regulato

Recent reporting by CDL Life, amplified by Truck N’ Hustle, indicates that the state of Tennessee has notified approximately 8,800 CDL holders to appear in person and provide proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence. Drivers who fail to comply by April 6, 2026, risk having their commercial licenses downgraded. The action follows a broader federal review of state CDL systems and reflects heightened scrutiny tied to compliance expectations from the U.S. Department of Transp