AUSTIN, Texas (KVII) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday that his office is investigating multiple trucking schools, including some in the Texas Panhandle, for allegedly providing inadequate training and certifying drivers who may not meet state and federal safety requirements.
Schools under investigation include Trucker Certified LLC, which operates in Pampa, Amarillo, Plainview and Borger, according to the attorney general’s office. Other schools named in the probe are based in North and West Texas, as well as San Antonio and Arlington.
Paxton’s office said it has issued Civil Investigative Demands to several companies as part of the inquiry, which focuses on whether the schools are properly preparing students to obtain commercial driver’s licenses, or CDLs.
Federal regulations require CDL holders to be able to read and speak English well enough to understand road signs, communicate with the public and law enforcement, and complete required reports. State and federal law also require training providers to ensure students can safely operate commercial vehicles.
According to preliminary findings cited by the attorney general, some schools may be disregarding those requirements. One school allegedly told prospective students that English proficiency was not necessary to complete its program and advertised services in Spanish.
Investigators also allege some programs are offering accelerated training timelines as short as about 20 days, which is below the typical industry range of three to seven weeks, raising concerns about whether students are receiving sufficient instruction.
The attorney general’s office said some of the schools may have falsely claimed to be certified training providers.
“These actions, among others, are violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and pose a significant risk to public safety,” the office said in a statement.
“Putting non-English speakers behind the wheel of 18-wheelers in America can pose serious threats to public safety,” Paxton said. “My office is thoroughly investigating these trucking schools, and I am taking this matter very seriously.”
The investigation remains ongoing, and no charges have been announced. Officials say the schools’ graduates may go on to work for trucking companies across Texas, including major freight hubs such as Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.