New Pennsylvania law cracks down on unlicensed CDL schools with $25,000 penalties

Pennsylvania has enacted a new law to crack down on unlicensed commercial driver’s license (CDL) training schools, giving regulators the power to impose civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation. Governor Josh Shapiro signed Act 50 on July 20, targeting unlicensed providers that put unqualified CDL holders on the road. The legislation, Senate Bill 1294, was led by state Senator Judy Ward and co-sponsored by eight other Senate Republicans. It updates the 1986 Private Licensed Schools Act, expanding the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE) enforcement authority to license and regulate CDL training schools. The law exempts private carriers that train their own drivers at no cost. Under the new rules, the PDE board can now approve fines as high as $25,000 for operating an unlicensed CDL school or providing federally required entry-level driver training without state approval. Previously, the board could impose a minimum $300 fine and civil penalties up to $2,500. Fines collected will go into the State Treasury and be credited to a restricted PDE revenue account. The move follows concerns raised by the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA), which reported that some CDL holders lacked essential driving skills due to inadequate training, including overreliance on simulators. PMTA President Rebecca Oyler testified that the CDL credential must assure employers, law enforcement, and the public that drivers can safely operate large vehicles. Industry representatives, including Jeff Mercadante of Pitt Ohio, highlighted cases where applicants had valid CDLs but lacked real-world driving experience, forcing carriers to invest extra time and resources to build foundational skills. The PMTA noted Pennsylvania had 40 licensed CDL schools and an undetermined number of unlicensed or exempt facilities among the 1,100 entities listed in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Training Provider Registry. The FMCSA has since increased enforcement against so-called “CDL mills.”